May 2000: The 8T&B Committee and Massachusetts Audubon Society teamed up with the City of Gloucester to conduct an alewife count on the Little River, Lily Pond watershed.
Duplicating the methodology employed by the Parker River Clean Water Association in their annual counts, the volunteer effort attracted approximately fifty local residents to the fish ladders to count alewife moving upstream for their annual spawning run.
Stubby Knowles, Alewife Commissioner for the city, and fishway steward has witnessed the migratory ritual for years, making sure the ladders are passable. Stubby's efforts were given a big boost through a small EPA grant given to the City of Gloucester by the Massachusetts Bays Program. Gloucester High School, under the direction of the Division of Marine Fisheries, constructed a steep pass fishway of wood for the Lily Pond Dam. The fishway baffles propel the fish upstream, a vast improvement on the existing old concrete ladder system that was in poor repair.
The volunteer fish count started May 1, and as of the end of May, over 3000 fish had passed through the first ladder. Volunteers participate by watching and counting fish that pass through the top step in the first ladder for series of five minute intervals. Without volunteer participation, an accurate estimate of the amount of fish present would be difficult and the status of the fishery would be in question. The numbers of fish seen to date seems low, but concluding that the fishery is under threat would be premature.
The grant to conduct the fish count was a product of a team approach. The count is being organized by Massachusetts Audubon Societies North Shore Conservation Advocacy Office through the Great Marsh Anadromous Fish Team and the 8T&B Committee. The City of Gloucester has graciously allowed the count to take place on the grounds of the water filtration plant and Knowles has provided much needed insight and guidance. Project funders are the Riverways Programs and the Ipswich River Flyfishing Derby.
