River Restore

Neponset River Restoration, Milton and Boston

Anadromous Fish Stocking & Smelt Monitoring

Anadromous fish are migratory fish which hatch in fresh water, make their way to the sea to grow, then return as adults to fresh water to spawn, usually near where they had hatched.

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) completed a survey of available habitat for river herring in 1995. Their report, "Survey of the Neponset River to Determine its Potential for Anadromous Fish Development" found suitable habitat for anadromous fish.  Based on the quality of habitat observed during this survey, the Division began stocking adult Blueback Herring and American Shad in the Neponset River in Canton in 1996. The source of these fish come from well-established populations in the Charles (Blueback herring) and Connecticut (American Shad) Rivers. The offspring of these stocked fish will imprint on the new spawning grounds and return as mature adults in three to five years. Please see the photos below of the Division stocking adult herring in the Neponset River at Neponset Street in Canton and the table of the numbers of fish stocked each year.

River Herring
Alewife - Alosa pseudoharengus
Blueback Herring - Alosa aestivalis

for more information, click on the herring

American Shad
Alosa sapidissima

for more information, click on the shad

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) also has studied the spawning habitat for Rainbow Smelt in the Neponset River. The spawning area extends approximately 334 meters from the Baker Dam ending at the MBTA commuter rail bridge.  Their preliminary report gives the background and summarizes the data DMF collected: 

Rainbow Smelt
Osmorda morax

Contact Brad Chase at 978-282-0308 x111 for the "MA Bay Smelt Spawning Habitat Monitoring Program - Preliminary Report on the Neponset River"

back to Neponset Fish Passage page