If the river were open, American shad, blueback herring, and alewife would come from the ocean to lay their eggs upstream, and their offspring would head back to the ocean in the fall. These are all “anadromous” species. These fish runs would be restored on 17 miles of the Neponset River (map of extent of restored fish runs to come).

These runs would extend to the communities of Dorchester, Quincy, Milton, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Canton, Dedham, Westwood, Norwood and Walpole. The Department of Fish and Game has evaluated fish habitat in these upstream communities and found it well suited for anadromous fish spawning if the dams were not blocking the runs.

Shad and herring make up a large part of the diets of popular salt water sport fish such as striped bass and bluefish. Dam removal would enhance the existing sport fisheries in the Neponset River Estuary. In addition, American shad are considered a sport fish in their own right.

Resident freshwater fish species in the Neponset River, such as largemouth bass and sunfish, would also benefit from restoration of the natural river flow and resulting cooler water temperatures and higher oxygen levels.

Finally, herring and shad are important links in the larger Gulf of Maine food chain which supports numerous commercial fish species. Fishery restoration on the Neponset River would provide an incremental benefit to the overall commercial fishing industry in New England.

In addition to enhancing predator fish species, the restoration of anadromous fish would have a beneficial effect on the overall ecology of the river, extending to a variety of bird and mammal species such as great blue herons, eagles, and osprey to name just a few.

Other migratory species that would benefit if the dams were removed include rainbow smelt and American eel. Smelt currently spawn in Lower Mills below the dam. Dam removal would allow spring tides to move roughly 100 yards further upstream, expanding the smelt spawning area and providing more desirable salinity conditions for the smelt. American eels are a “catadramous” species; they spend their adult lives in freshwater rivers and then migrate to the open sea to spawn.  

In the absence of dam removal, none of the above benefits from fishery restoration would be realized.

Additional Fishery Links

Under construction (hyperlinks to come)

January 2008