A Contribution to the Life History of the Blueback Herring, Alosa aestivalis

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Abstract
Blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) were first detected near the mouth of the Connecticut River on April 13, 1966, April 18, 1967, and April 19, 1968, when water temperatures were 7.8, 4.7, and 9.4 C, respectively. Spawning was first observed when stream temperature was 14 C. Abundance in the river was greatest from mid‐May to mid‐July, but smaller spawning groups were observed in late April and mid‐September. Blueback herring preferred a swift stream flow and hard substrates for spawning sites, and to a great degree were spatially isolated from spawning alewives. Both sexes were present in age classes III through VII; age V was the modal class for each sex. In the spawning areas there was a 2:1 sex ratio of males to females. Males were more abundant in age classes III, IV, and V; there was equal abundance in age class VI, but females dominated age class VII. Fecundity was related to total fish length up to about 300 mm, but declined in larger females.

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