04-24-2004, 10:25 PM
This year's run appears similar to 2002's in that there were declining
flows and a period when the water warmed rapidly during the middle two
weeks of April. That year, 70.8% of the run passed the Route 202 Bridge
in just eight days. These large fish passage events (greater than 15,000
American shad) occurred on April 6, 7, 10, 12, 17, 20, 21 and 27.
In 2004, there were no such large shad passage events noted prior to
April 12. When the river temperature reached 50 degrees F on 4/16 and
the flow continued to drop, the Hydroacoustics began to mark some
American shad schools moving through. The numbers increased on 4/17, and
even more so on 4/18 when American shad schools estimated in the tens of
thousands passed the Route 202 Bridge, many in Span 3. So it appears
these large pulses of American shad are occurring about one week later
in 2004. This means that the last two weeks of this April will most
likely be when the majority of the 2004 American shad spawning run
passes the Route 202 Bridge. In 2002 this was determined to be
approximately 282,637 American shad. Easton area shad fishermen estimate
that the large schools of American shad marked on 4/18 will arrive there
around 4/23, swimming about 8 miles per day.
For more information on the shad run, click on the following link:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/del_riv...4.htm#4-20
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flows and a period when the water warmed rapidly during the middle two
weeks of April. That year, 70.8% of the run passed the Route 202 Bridge
in just eight days. These large fish passage events (greater than 15,000
American shad) occurred on April 6, 7, 10, 12, 17, 20, 21 and 27.
In 2004, there were no such large shad passage events noted prior to
April 12. When the river temperature reached 50 degrees F on 4/16 and
the flow continued to drop, the Hydroacoustics began to mark some
American shad schools moving through. The numbers increased on 4/17, and
even more so on 4/18 when American shad schools estimated in the tens of
thousands passed the Route 202 Bridge, many in Span 3. So it appears
these large pulses of American shad are occurring about one week later
in 2004. This means that the last two weeks of this April will most
likely be when the majority of the 2004 American shad spawning run
passes the Route 202 Bridge. In 2002 this was determined to be
approximately 282,637 American shad. Easton area shad fishermen estimate
that the large schools of American shad marked on 4/18 will arrive there
around 4/23, swimming about 8 miles per day.
For more information on the shad run, click on the following link:
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/del_riv...4.htm#4-20
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