A variety of herring frequent MA coastal and estuarine waters and can be confusing to identify. River herring (alewife and blueback herring) and American shad are generally seen during spring spawning runs. Menhaden and Atlantic herring may appear in our estuaries during coastal migration in the summer or early fall.
Note: The harvest and possession of river herring (Alewife and Bluebacks) is prohibited in Massachusetts.
