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Fisheries Now: Alewives And Blueback Herring, Julia Beaty

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), collectively referred to as river herring, are anadromous fish, which means they spend most of their adult lives at sea but spawn in freshwater. The two species look very similar. Fishermen usually harvest both species together and generally do not distinguish between the two. In Downeast Maine, alewives are more common than bluebacks and locals often use the terms “alewives” to refer to both species.

Fisheries Then: Alewives And Blueback Herring, Juila Beaty

Maine Sea Grant Publications

The term “river herring” collectively refers to two species: Alosa pseudoharengus, commonly known as alewife, and the closely related Alosa aestivalis, commonly known as blueback herring, or simply bluebacks. Fishermen in Maine often use the word “alewife” to refer to both alewives and bluebacks.

Each spring streams, rivers, and ponds in Downeast Maine fill with adult alewives, ready to spawn. This seasonal influx represented a major link between freshwater and marine ecosystems, and historically provided an important food source for Wabanaki peoples and European settlers.