The 2020 alewife run is nearly over

The fish have slowed down considerably—very few new schools of alewives are entering the fish ladder and any fish that are coming in are small. Small fish, often 3 year olds, are typical of the end of the run. These young fish, not ready to spawn for another year, seem to be practicing for the time when it’s their turn to make the dramatic trip to their natal spawning grounds.
We are now seeing big schools of run-backs — alewives that have spawned and are making the return journey to the Gulf of Maine to spend the rest of the year at sea. The run-backs tend to “school up” in the Mill Pond at the top of the fish ladder and make their descent down the Middle Stream in the early evening.
If you want to see alewives this year, come soon….and be sure to be ready for social distancing. Please wear a mask! Pathways at the fish ladder are narrow and it doesn’t take many visitors before you can’t help being closer than 6 feet apart.