Herring Transplant

April 14th, 2007 - The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in partnership with the BARC, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group and friends, co-sponsored an Anacostia Watershed River herring fish transplantation event. The purpose was to reintroduce anadromous fish species, such as alewife Herring, back into Beaverdam Creek subwatershed.

Once formerly abundant in Coastal Plain streams in the Anacostia, these fishes have experienced major population declines related to water pollution, over harvesting and the presence of anthropogenic-related fish blockages.

In 2002, a major Indian Creek fish blockage, located at Greenbelt Road, was removed as a part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Replacement Mitigation Project. Removal of this blockage has resulted in the opening of approximately 5 miles of potential anadromous fish spawning habitat in both the Indian Creek and Beaverdam Creek stream systems.

As part of a larger Anacostia restoration effort, the goal of this event was to move approximately 100 mature river herring into Beaverdam Creek. This stocking approach is designed to promote the return of spawning adult herring by chemically imprinting their larva to "signatures" specific to Beaverdam Creek. If successful, adult river herring should return, in the next four to five years, to their natural stream.

For more information and images go to: Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group website