TRI-TOWNS – Tri-town herring populations seem to be slowly recovering but Mattapoisett selectmen opted to keep the state-imposed moratorium on harvesting the small silvery food and baitfish in effect for at least another year.

Herring inspectors from Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester met with Mattapoisett Selectmen at the board’s March 26 meeting to update the board on the state of herring populations in local waterways, including the Mattapoisett River and its tributaries, that lead to historic herring spawning ponds, which include Snipatuit Pond in Rochester.

River herring migrate from saltwater, where they live most of the year, to fresh water each spring to spawn. Biologists say the plankton-eating anadromous fish are an indicator to environmental health. Their dwindling numbers over the past two decades have been of great concern to sport and commercial fisherman and others concerned with the ecological health of local waterways and ponds.

“We had a good year last year,” Mattapoisett Herring Inspector Robert Smith said. “We had 55,000 (herring go through the herring counter).”

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