So When Do We Expect the Herring Run to Start?

At the kickoff meeting this week, that was the primary question.  If only a herring was at the meeting....

The herring will start the run when the water temperatures reach nominally 51F.  It's much cooler for 2013 than it was at this time in 2012.  For a comparison, please take a look at the Saltwater Temperatures in Cotuit Bay and at Eel Pond (Waquoit Bay) located here.

While the herring that will migrate up the Marstons Mills River all come through Cotuit Bay and Prince Cove, we have seen that the water temperatures are warmer at the temperature sensor in Cotuit, since that sensor is further from the cooler tidal inlet.  The temperature sensor at the entrance to Eel Pond is directly at the inlet, so the variations in temperature between the warmer bay and the cooler Nantucket Sound at each tide change are less pronounced.

For a look at the Waquoit Bay sensor raw real time data, please go to the NOAA weather conditions at the sensor located here.

Herring Count Meeting from 3/16/2013

We had a great turnout for the Herring Count Meeting on Saturday!  Thank you to everyone who came.  We noted at the meeting that the water temps have been running much colder this year than in previous years, so we don't anticipate that the run will begin anytime in the very near future.  But, just to be on the safe side, feel free to sign up for any available slots and we will let you know if the fish have arrived.  So, don't go count until we tell you to!

Here's just a quick reminder how to get your dates and times on the calendar:

Go to the "Open Counting Hours" link and look at the schedule.  Once you have determined the dates and times you would like to count, please send an email to herringcount@yahoo.com and let us know what you have decided.  We will post the times and you will see your initials appear on the calendar.  It's that simple.

And please sign up to have emails sent to you from this blog.  You will be automatically notified when we have posted something new.  And please feel free to call or email us with any questions or concerns you may have.  Our phone number is 508-420-0780 and the email is: herringcount@yahoo.com.  We are only at the office from Mon-Fri, 9:30-4:30, so email works best.

Once again, thanks to everyone, whether you could make the meeting or not.  We are hoping for another banner year this year!!!

Counting Meeting

Just a quick reminder for everyone that we are holding a meeting tomorrow, March 16th at 3:00 pm at Liberty Hall in Marstons Mills.  We just want to round everyone up and make sure we are ready for another great herring season!  So, if you counted last year, or if you want to count this year for the first time, please try to attend!

It's that time of year again!!  The herring will be arriving before we know it!  If you counted last year, and want to count again this year, please contact us at  herringcount@yahoo.com or info@3bays.org.  Last year we had an early arrival for the fish, but we are pretty sure after the winter we've had and the colder temperatures, the fish may be later in arriving this year.

We will be holding an informational meeting for all of the herring counters on Saturday, March 16th at 3:00 pm at Liberty Hall in Marstons Mills.  Please plan on joining us and bring along any friends who would like to be counters as well!

Let's hope we have another fabulous year and we count even more herring than last year!!