Our Work ▸ Ecology Monitoring ▸
Annual Herring Count
Please consider volunteering to help document the Jones River herring run!
Counting takes place annually from April 1st to May 1st, daily from 7AM to 7PM
If you need further assistance contact Jimmy Powell at jimmy@jonesriver.org
Counting is easy. All that is needed is 10 minutes of your time at a fish ladder. Counters are encouraged to count as many times as they can throughout the season but with the caveat that counts cannot be performed back to back. Consecutive counts cause a lot of error in the herring estimation model.
By counting herring, you are helping to collect valuable data that will inform conservation efforts and improve the health of our watershed, as well as providing important information to fishery managers in the region. You will also get to enjoy the beauty of nature and witness one of nature’s wonders. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference and help your local ecosystem!
You can get started today by reviewing last year’s slideshow training guide. You may additionally sign up for counting slots at both of our counting locations.
After a disappointing year in 2025, with no flow in the Forge Pond fish ladder until the tail end of the counting season, we are in slightly better shape this year, but no connection exists as of yet. Still a few more good rain storms should open up Forge Pond. Stream clearing work has also been done on the Furnace Brook tributary so Soules Pond will hopefully be more active. We are still fighting for more consistent flow in the Jones River at state and local levels.