Stock Status – Unknown – Commercial landings increased substantially in 2007, however, they remain well below the 10- year average. Juvenile abundance remained at 0.02 with only 1 juvenile hickory shad being captured during the seine survey.  However, the current juvenile alosine seine survey is not a reliable stand-alone indicator of juvenile hickory shad abundance. The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has not conducted any directed sampling since 1993.

Average Commercial Landings and Value 1998-2007 – 104,249 lbs./$22,296

2007 Commercial Landings and Value – 35,808 lbs./$7,726

Average Recreational Landings 1998-2007 – unknown, 2007 - unknown

Average Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL) Landings 2002-2007 – 13,485 lbs.,
2007 – 3,132 lbs.

Status of Fishery Management Plan (FMP) – In North Carolina, the hickory shad are currently included in the Interjurisdictional FMP, which defers to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) FMP compliance requirements.  The ASMFC FMP for Shad and River Herring was approved in 1985 and Amendment 1 of this plan was approved in October 1998.  Although development of Amendment 2 and 3 is underway, neither deals directly with hickory shad. 

Research and Data Needs – There is a need for all types of fishery dependent and independent data.

Current Regulations – There is no size limit. The recreational bag limit for shad is a 10-fish aggregate (hickory and American combined) per person per day.

Harvest Season - The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission adopted a rule in 1995 establishing a commercial harvest season January 1-April 14; it is unlawful to take hickory shad and American shad by any method except hook-and-line from April 15-December 31.
 
Size and Age at Maturity – males: 11.5 inches fork length (FL)/3-4 years; females: 12.5 inches FL/4-5 years

Historical and Current Maximum Age - 8 years

Juvenile Abundance Index 1998-2007 - 0.15, 2007 - 0.02 (unvalidated) 

Habits and Habitats - Hickory shad are anadromous, spending the majority of their life in the ocean, returning to fresh water to spawn.  Spawning occurs from March - May in the coastal rivers and tributaries. It is thought juvenile hickory shad do not use the same nursery areas as river herring and American shad, but move quickly to more saline waters.  Hickory shad will remain in the ocean until reaching sexual maturity, returning to fresh water to spawn.

For more information, contact Kathy Rawls at kathy.rawls@ncmail.net (800-338-7805 or 252-264-3911).