Managing Small Fish at Large Scales: The Emergence of Regional Policies for River Herring in the Eastern United States

Abstract

Anadromous Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis, collectively known as “river herring,” provide ecosystem services to coastal communities in the Eastern United States. Despite traditions of community‐based stewardship, many populations exhibit long‐term declines. Their name notwithstanding, river herring spend most of their lives at sea and stray among natal rivers. Therefore, absence of management above individual rivers can compromise population viability, local conservation investments, and ecosystem services. Large‐scale management in the USA was achieved for the first time during 2007–2015 by amending three Fishery Management Plans and creating a broader River Herring Conservation Plan following an Endangered Species Act petition. Concurrently, an international restoration plan for river herring in the St. Croix River on the USA–Canada border was adopted. A survey of stakeholder organizations in New England during this period revealed widespread concern for stressors managed at different scales, but that most action was directed locally. Stakeholder collaboration networks were clustered within states and around loose regional hubs, matching the scales of stakeholder concerns and actions. Unfortunately, river herring face growing threats linked to climate change, effects of which will be felt at local and regional scales, while effective mitigation will require actions at national and global scales.