River Herring Restoration

    In 1965 Congress passed the Anadromous Fish Act which provided funding for restoration, enhancement, and management of anadromous fish. The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife realized the importance of restoring the runs and in 1966 established an anadromous fish restoration program with two major initiatives. The first, is to facilitate the up-stream journey of migratory fish by installing fish ladders which allow fish to pass over dams. This is accomplished with a series of gradually inclining steps with pools for resting. The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace is one of thirteen locations of fish ladders in Rhode Island.

    The Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife also transplants American shad and river herring from other states, to re-introduce native species into the historical runs. They monitor the anadromous fish population throughout the state with an electronic fish counter. Data collected from Gilbert Stuart's Birthplace is used as a barometer for the conditions of other runs in the state.

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