The March 7, 2018 workshop co-sponsored by the River Herring Network and the Middleborough-Lakeville Herring Fishery Commission was a success. We had 43 people attend representing 9 towns, 2 Counties, 6 watershed associations & environmental groups, 5 MA state agencies, and one RI agency (DEM). 

Thanks to the Lakeville Community Access Media, the entire workshop can be viewed at this link:https://vimeo.com/259806300

All of the speakers' slides and the documents that they spoke about can be downloaded from the River Herring Network website under, "Workshops".  http://riverherringnetwork.com/resources/workshops.html

Thank you to the Planning Committee and the Middleborough -Lakeville Herring Fisheries Commission for inviting a great set of speakers and for providing breakfast and lunch.

-Abigail Archer

Massachusetts River Herring Network Workshop
Wednesday March 7, 2018 8:15AM-2:30PM
Lakeville Public Library 4 Precinct St. Lakeville, MA 02347

Registration is FREE. To sign up, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A pdf version of the agenda can be downloaded here:  Agenda - Aquatic Invasive Plant Species Workshop 3-7-18

AGENDA
8:15-8:30 Registration & Coffee

8:30AM Welcome & Introductions

8:45AM Aquatic Invasive Plant Species & Herring Runs
Brad Chase, MA Division of Marine Fisheries

9:00AM Introduction to life history & natural history of invasive milfoils, water chestnut, and fanwort
Dr. Donald Padgett, Bridgewater State University

9:45AM Overview of options for chemical, mechanical, and biological control, and how to
monitor water quality and effectiveness of treatment
Keith Gazaille, Solitude Lake Management

10:45 Mid Morning Break

11:00AM Methods for preventing invasions
Dr. David Wong, MA Department of Environmental Protection

11:30AM Permitting Considerations for Managing Aquatic Invasive Species
Lealdon Langley, MA Department of Environmental Protection

12:00-12:30 Pizza Lunch Break and Discussion Time

12:30PM Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea
Dr. Donald Padgett, Bridgewater State University

12:45PM Keeping stream flow in mind
Michelle Craddock, Division of Ecological Restoration

1:15-2:15 Panel Discussion with questions from the audience

2:15 Closing Comments

On Wednesday March 7, 2018 the River Herring Network and Middleboro-Lakeville Fisheries Commission will co-sponsor an Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop. The topics were brainstormed during the annual meeting, and the Planning Committee is working now to confirm speakers. The workshop will cover:

- Natural history of Eurasion milfoil, variable milfoil, water chestnut, and fanwort 
- Available physical, chemical, and biological methods for managing these species
- How to preventing the spread of aquatic invasives
- Research on what ecosystem effects the control methods have on water quality and on fish and wildlife
- Permitting considerations for the various methods
- Funding management activities

The workshop will take place at the Lakeville Public Library on 4 Precinct St in Lakeville, MA 02347

An agenda will be sent out in early February. Registration is free.

Thank you to all who made the 2017 River Herring Network annual meeting a success!

Seventy three (73) people attended the 7th annual meeting on November 2, 2017 at the Sandwich Town Hall. Participants represented 21 towns, 9 environmental organizations, 5 state and federal agencies, 1 County agency, & 2 academic institutions. We also had students from Umass Amherst and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with us. Thank you to the AmeriCorps volunteers and Umass Amherst students who helped with set up, clean up, and the breakout discussions. Thank you to the Town of Sandwich staff for being excellent hosts.

Six speakers gave presentations on a range of topics such as Division of Marine Fisheries management updates, the recent re-construction of the Mill Creek fish ladder by the Town of Sandwich with Community Preservation Act funds, research on how best to sample juvenile river herring in ponds, lessons learned from video and Smith Root electronic counting efforts, crowd sourcing the counting of video data, and an overview of herring population numbers in MA and the New England region.

After the meeting, 11 people joined Town of Sandwich staff for a tour of the Upper Shawme Pond fish ladder.

The powerpoint presentations,photos from the meeting, are available on the website at: http://riverherringnetwork.com/about-us/annual-meeting.html

Also, thanks to Art Egerton from Pembroke, video of the meeting can be accessed on the Pembroke Town News You Tube Channel at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpluQAh3vQQ&list=PLfZWr9cbxCXO0j3lJqjC9j64nmwAtncvR