February 1
February 3
The Brewster Historical Society shared this fascinating historical record recently, a reflection on a long-standing issue and its various iterations here in Town- in a legal case dating from 1767- of blocking the herring migration in Brewster. Where is John Adams (link to article) when you need him?
As a footnote; The Alewife Committee met yesterday for a site tour and training exercise for the two new wardens at the Stony Brook Mill Fish Ladder. No other sites in the watershed, or corridor, were visited in this preliminary training session led by warden Doug Erickson. Site visits and training sessions such as these are and must be posted and listed as public meetings under the Open Meeting Law and all citizens can attend. (The meeting was posted with little advance notice however, on January 30.) The question was floated at the last committee meeting on 1/ 27 to add two additional wardens to the committee in order to expand their work force and to make discussions among members easier.
The Brewster Historical Society shared this fascinating historical record recently, a reflection on a long-standing issue and its various iterations here in Town- in a legal case dating from 1767- of blocking the herring migration in Brewster. Where is John Adams (link to article) when you need him?
As a footnote; The Alewife Committee met yesterday for a site tour and training exercise for the two new wardens at the Stony Brook Mill Fish Ladder. No other sites in the watershed, or corridor, were visited in this preliminary training session led by warden Doug Erickson. Site visits and training sessions such as these are and must be posted and listed as public meetings under the Open Meeting Law and all citizens can attend. (The meeting was posted with little advance notice however, on January 30.) The question was floated at the last committee meeting on 1/ 27 to add two additional wardens to the committee in order to expand their work force and to make discussions among members easier.
February 11
The Conservation Commission provided an update on the Slough Pond passage issue at their 2/10 meeting- video link here (see @ 1:24:32). We are grateful to the Commission for doing due diligence on this issue which was brought to their attention in December. We regret, however, that no public responsibility was taken for the blockage that prevented the out-migration of the juvenile herring born in Slough Pond in 2024. For many, it was a clear violation of herring management laws but when no one acknowledges their responsibility there is no accountability. Nevertheless, we must put it behind us and trust that with proper stewardship that includes oversight, collaboration, and transparency it will never be repeated.
The Conservation Commission provided an update on the Slough Pond passage issue at their 2/10 meeting- video link here (see @ 1:24:32). We are grateful to the Commission for doing due diligence on this issue which was brought to their attention in December. We regret, however, that no public responsibility was taken for the blockage that prevented the out-migration of the juvenile herring born in Slough Pond in 2024. For many, it was a clear violation of herring management laws but when no one acknowledges their responsibility there is no accountability. Nevertheless, we must put it behind us and trust that with proper stewardship that includes oversight, collaboration, and transparency it will never be repeated.
Plans for the spring management of the Slough Pond passage will be discussed at the next Alewife Committee meeting (link) scheduled for Tuesday, February 18 @ 5pm, at the Town Hall and virtually. Agenda pdf here.
February 18
The strong northeasterly wind has blown the ice across the pond since last evening, even with the below freezing temperatures. After six weeks of solid ice it is lovely to see the blue water again dancing in the sunlight. The water level in the pond is high at over 7" and deep from one end of the passage to the other with a slight flow. The wind is causing an intermittent flow over the sandbag structure with its accumulation of debris and ice.
February 19
A well-attended but rather uneventful Alewife Committee meeting (link) was held last night. The focus of its agenda was on a decision for the Slough Pond connection's management plan for this spring; no vote was taken. The discussion centered on four options, the extremes being to close it or do nothing, and the middle ground being light or robust maintenance. A vote on action is promised at the next meeting on March 24th. The herring start running around March 20th. They do not usually arrive at Slough until around April 16th, from our observations, though they may arrive earlier.
For more commentary see below...
A well-attended but rather uneventful Alewife Committee meeting (link) was held last night. The focus of its agenda was on a decision for the Slough Pond connection's management plan for this spring; no vote was taken. The discussion centered on four options, the extremes being to close it or do nothing, and the middle ground being light or robust maintenance. A vote on action is promised at the next meeting on March 24th. The herring start running around March 20th. They do not usually arrive at Slough until around April 16th, from our observations, though they may arrive earlier.
For more commentary see below...
One could have spent the entire meeting refuting the statements of head warden Doug Erickson but that would be to lose the forest for the trees. His information is often inaccurate, for instance, that the Slough passage, or "ditch" as he continues to refer to it, dries up by April, when, in fact, for the past two years of our observations, the run starts in mid-April and goes through early June. "A few make it in there," he said, when, in fact, thousands do. He observed that the Mosquito Control Project's extensive work last fall opened up a "bay"- belied by the ancient fallen tree rooted at the channel mouth- and the assertion that this will cause the water to run (uphill) from Walker's Pond- elevation models show this to be impossible. That there is a video of warden Dana Condit (now deceased) saying it should be closed- I have not been able to find this video. In a private conversation with Dana he told me he would never close this passage- even if it was pain- because he obeyed the laws protecting herring.
Erickson, as present head warden, was given ample time by the Chair to present his narrative of events and to repeat that closure is the best option, as he has maintained for two years running; netting off the passage to prevent "slaughter" of the fish in the "dried up ditch" by "raccoons and otters" and leaving the fry and even adults stranded in the pond. The most surprising statement he made was that he is the one responsible for creating the blockade in December that prevented the fry from their out-migration. This was done ostensibly to protect them from hurtling to their deaths at the Stony Brook ladder during the restoration. That restoration did not begin until three weeks later and we had been assured all through 2024 by Chris Miller that their safe passage would be protected during construction. This assurance seems to have gone entirely by the wayside.
Meetings and site visits (some private, some public) have taken place since mid-December to address the issue of Slough Pond- the work done by Mosquito Control and the ensuing blockade- with ConCom, the NRD, AC, MCP, and DMF, with no one taking responsibility for blocking the channel until last night. (Chris Miller stated that he did not know who did it but it wasn't the NRD; he thought it was probably a neighbor.) Because the action was taken by a warden- unilaterally as it may have been, without consultation with any stakeholder, the Alewife Committee, the DMF, the NRD, NRCS, who is funding the project, or the engineers and hydrologist in charge of the construction - does it make it less of a violation (perhaps even two violations)? No. Perhaps it was done with good intentions or perhaps for other reasons; whatever the case may be, this is an example of the poor management practices at the Slough Pond passage that we have been calling to the attention of the Town for two years. There has been loss of life for the herring but it hasn't been caused by raccoons or otters. It looks like we have another challenging year ahead unless firm policy and guidelines are set by the Alewife Committee at the next meeting. Warden Gary Kaser commented that he would be happy to oversee the light maintenance of the passage as he has for the past two years which does not take much time. He added that all aspects of the run, including the ladder itself, require regular oversight as common practice. Warden Erickson encouraged the Chair and alternate warden to visit the Slough site.
And lest these statements take us off track, losing the forest for the trees, the ultimate goal to keep in mind here is ecosystem management featuring herring as a keystone species which support a vast biodiversity in this particular habitat. Slough and Pine are the two cleanest ponds in Brewster but that is a delicate balance.
So much rests now on the Division of Marine Fisheries's study under Biologist Brad Chase which will conclude this year. His Herring Habitat and Nursery Study for the Town of Brewster will probably not be made available until March of 2026. The question remains, how will the next generation of alewife wardens face the challenge of moving from the old ways of commerce, managing herring harvest, to the new ways of conservation, managing their protection?
Erickson, as present head warden, was given ample time by the Chair to present his narrative of events and to repeat that closure is the best option, as he has maintained for two years running; netting off the passage to prevent "slaughter" of the fish in the "dried up ditch" by "raccoons and otters" and leaving the fry and even adults stranded in the pond. The most surprising statement he made was that he is the one responsible for creating the blockade in December that prevented the fry from their out-migration. This was done ostensibly to protect them from hurtling to their deaths at the Stony Brook ladder during the restoration. That restoration did not begin until three weeks later and we had been assured all through 2024 by Chris Miller that their safe passage would be protected during construction. This assurance seems to have gone entirely by the wayside.
Meetings and site visits (some private, some public) have taken place since mid-December to address the issue of Slough Pond- the work done by Mosquito Control and the ensuing blockade- with ConCom, the NRD, AC, MCP, and DMF, with no one taking responsibility for blocking the channel until last night. (Chris Miller stated that he did not know who did it but it wasn't the NRD; he thought it was probably a neighbor.) Because the action was taken by a warden- unilaterally as it may have been, without consultation with any stakeholder, the Alewife Committee, the DMF, the NRD, NRCS, who is funding the project, or the engineers and hydrologist in charge of the construction - does it make it less of a violation (perhaps even two violations)? No. Perhaps it was done with good intentions or perhaps for other reasons; whatever the case may be, this is an example of the poor management practices at the Slough Pond passage that we have been calling to the attention of the Town for two years. There has been loss of life for the herring but it hasn't been caused by raccoons or otters. It looks like we have another challenging year ahead unless firm policy and guidelines are set by the Alewife Committee at the next meeting. Warden Gary Kaser commented that he would be happy to oversee the light maintenance of the passage as he has for the past two years which does not take much time. He added that all aspects of the run, including the ladder itself, require regular oversight as common practice. Warden Erickson encouraged the Chair and alternate warden to visit the Slough site.
And lest these statements take us off track, losing the forest for the trees, the ultimate goal to keep in mind here is ecosystem management featuring herring as a keystone species which support a vast biodiversity in this particular habitat. Slough and Pine are the two cleanest ponds in Brewster but that is a delicate balance.
So much rests now on the Division of Marine Fisheries's study under Biologist Brad Chase which will conclude this year. His Herring Habitat and Nursery Study for the Town of Brewster will probably not be made available until March of 2026. The question remains, how will the next generation of alewife wardens face the challenge of moving from the old ways of commerce, managing herring harvest, to the new ways of conservation, managing their protection?
February 28
The herring are running, only in reverse! It's the fry who overwintered in Slough due to their being blocked from emigration in December. We are pleased to see so many have survived harsh conditions under the ice for two long months. They are answering the call of the sea and their ancestors, however, they will have to wait a little longer. We have alerted the Town since there will be no access to the ladder or Stony Brook for them during construction until mid-March. A net may have to be installed so they stay in the ponds for the time being. Fare the well little ones.
The herring are running, only in reverse! It's the fry who overwintered in Slough due to their being blocked from emigration in December. We are pleased to see so many have survived harsh conditions under the ice for two long months. They are answering the call of the sea and their ancestors, however, they will have to wait a little longer. We have alerted the Town since there will be no access to the ladder or Stony Brook for them during construction until mid-March. A net may have to be installed so they stay in the ponds for the time being. Fare the well little ones.
