Nearly 200K Herring Make First Migratory Run Up Mystic River Since Civil War

"For the first time since the Civil War, river herring (both Alewife and Blueback herring) made their way to the Upper Mystic Lake on their own."

That's according to an announcement sent by the Mystic River Watershed Association.

According to the association, an estimated 198,932 herring made it up the Mystic River on their own to Upper Mystic Lake in Medford, Arlington and Winchester, which is their most desirable spawning habitat.

The fish used a "fish ladder" that was built into the newly renovated Mystic Lakes Dam in Arlington and Medford, the announcement says.

More than 85 volunteer fish monitors observed the herring run and logged 685 observations, which allowed the Mystic River Watershed Association to estimate the total herring run, according to the announcement.

"It's an exciting new program, and we're happy with the first year's results," said Katrina Sukola, a watershed scientist quoted in the announcement.

Interested people can learn more about the herring run and herring monitoring at www.mysticriver.org/herring-monitoring/.