Has there ever been a Natural Atlantic Salmon run in NJ.

[tomfly]

I have been researching whether NJ has ever had a natural Atlantic Salmon run. I can not find any historical evidence to support or deny if it did or did not occur. I know NJ was colonized in the 1600s but I can find little historical evidence pertaining to fisheries from that period. I have heard a lot of hearsay over the years to support the claim that there was a run at one time. With no evidence to support it, speculation is all it is. Does anyone have any evidence to prove or disprove the mythological NJ Atlantic Salmon run?

My research did find some interesting notables.

Attempts to stock the Delaware with Salmon began as early as 1871. Stocked were 75,500 young Atlantic salmon fish in the waters in and around Easton, most likely the Bushkill, from 1871 to 1873. Five years later 15 to 20 adult fish in the grilse stage where caught in the Delaware. In 1890, The Pennsylvania Fish Commission began a serious salmon stocking program with the salmon being hatched at its new facility on the Little Lehigh. The first stocking took place as far north as Deposit NY where 60,000 fish where place in the upper streams of New York and Pennsylvania. The next year 200,000 more were released with a third and final stocking of the same amount in 1892. 1895 there was an established Atlantic Salmon run up the Delaware. There were fish caught in tributaries along the Delaware and as far north as The Beverkill and the West branch. Due to the lack of management and proper regulations the run fizzled out.

In 1874 and 1952 Chinooks, spawning adults were collected on the Raritan River . There is very little data to show how and when the Salmon were introduced into the river. Does anyone information on how these runs were started? There is very little info on the USGS’s website.

One thing good did come out of this. It did show that a salmon run can be established and with proper management could be maintained.

Not all of my research was in vain. I did find substantial evidence to prove that NJ did indeed have a have a naturally occurring salmon run. A little before our time but a salmon run none the less. During the late Cretaceous about the time that the big rock hit Salmon were spawning in NJ rivers. This fish is nothing like we have today. It is probably the grandfather of today’s Salmons species.
The Saber Tooth Salmon specimens were collected in a dig in Homedale NJ with 3 inch fangs it would have been a formidable fish. Not a fish that would be huggable. I would have been scared to wade in the river during that run. But I did find proof the NJ did have an annual occurrence of a Salmon Run


Enchodus petrosus (Cope)
Saber-Tooth Salmon
Location: Ramanessin & Big Brook, Monmouth Co., NJ


An Artist rendition of the Saber-Tooth Salmon



source material:
http://www.fossilguy.com/
http://fishingthebigd.com/index_Delaware_River_salmon.htm
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/collectioninfo.aspx?SpeciesID=920

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Connecticut is the southern most Atlantic salmon native area, and that is north eastern CT. Maybe before either European or native Indian settlers first arrived, but I've not even seen any evidence of that. Certainly not since the Wisconsin glacier retreated through our area. Remembering that the Adirondaks were once the tallest mountains on earth, one could easily speculate on ancient runs of trout and salmon as those mountain streams would have been cold year round at well over 26,000' in elevation...

 

[Joe D]

In the 1600's John Smith wrote that Atlantic salmon were found in the Hudson river, indicating that it was their southern most river. Other accounts have them in the rivers north of the Hudson beginning with the Housatonic Keep in mind that over the years language and vocabulary changed, for example what we call American shad were once called white salmon by many. It's all just a guess as to the presence of Atlantic salmon in the Hudson or not.

 

[golden beetle]

In the 1600's John Smith wrote that Atlantic salmon were found in the Hudson river, indicating that it was their southern most river. Other accounts have them in the rivers north of the Hudson beginning with the Housatonic Keep in mind that over the years language and vocabulary changed, for example what we call American shad were once called white salmon by many. It's all just a guess as to the presence of Atlantic salmon in the Hudson or not.

That's why Joe D...

The best.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

In the 1600's John Smith wrote that Atlantic salmon were found in the Hudson river, indicating that it was their southern most river. Other accounts have them in the rivers north of the Hudson beginning with the Housatonic Keep in mind that over the years language and vocabulary changed, for example what we call American shad were once called white salmon by many. It's all just a guess as to the presence of Atlantic salmon in the Hudson or not.

I can think of no other animals that have so many regional names than game fish. Think about that for a minute. Millions of hunters, for example, love to chase the white tailed deer, yet they are always simply called "deer" or "whitetails". Trout, panfish, salmon, walleyes, pike, and many others have dozens of local names depending on the region of the country. It's part of the lore of fishing and gives biologists and historians fits. I didn't know that there were rumors of salmon in the Hudson, it would be interesting to know if that occurred or not.

 

[Joe D]

Brian,

I'd guess they were there, coming in from the western LI Sound, but not in the numbers found in NE. Could you imagine the Hudson estuary back in the day? Wetlands, uplands and several different rivers teeming with fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. Salmon smolts would've made good fodder for all the other fish and the tremendous variety of waterfowl and other bird would have provided feathers for the flies to catch the adults, though nets were probably more in vogue.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Brian,

I'd guess they were there, coming in from the western LI Sound, but not in the numbers found in NE. Could you imagine the Hudson estuary back in the day? Wetlands, uplands and several different rivers teeming with fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. Salmon smolts would've made good fodder for all the other fish and the tremendous variety of waterfowl and other bird would have provided feathers for the flies to catch the adults, though nets were probably more in vogue.

Just like today (minus the smell of GE's dioxin?)


It does make sense. Would love to hunt for the various birds in the shallow wetlands along the river back before we screwed it all up...nothing like a tasty corn crake or sora rail for the table, not to mention a few clappers.

 

[golden beetle]

Joe D and Rusty Spinner.

Got my respect, both.

 

[JeffK]

Dan,

The best source I have found for info on the federal salmon stocking efforts are the reports of the US Fish Commission in the late 19th century:
U.S. Fish Commission: Reports of the Commissioner from 1871 to 1903
You have to go through plenty of reports - but how the US tried to stock everything from Atlantic salmon to rock bass is there.

At one time there must have been a salmon run in NJ, but I have always been told in historic tmes the southern end was the Housatonic. About 18,000 years ago there was a glacier whose terminal moraine was Long Island and roughly followed Rte 46 across NJ. At that time the surviving salmon populations had to be in NJ or south since the historic salmon rivers were under a mile of ice.