Stocking efforts, a Chesapeake Bay moratorium on shad fishing, and fish passage improvements on the Susquehanna River have helped to increase the number of American shad at Conowingo Dam from several hundred per year in the early 1980s to an average of 101,140 per year in 2003-2005.

2005 was a below average year in terms of shad returning to Conowingo Dam. Springtime flows in the Susquehanna were relatively low and May water temperatures were unusually cool.

On a positive note, these same river conditions allowed a 10-fold improvement in shad passage at Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams compared to 2004. Upstream passage counts were the third highest on record since operations began 1997.

In spite of these improvements, Susquehanna populations are far below the restoration program goal of two million fish.

The updated indicator can be viewed at the Chesapeake Bay Program website.

6/24/2005