The term "river herring is applied collectively to alewife (Alosa Pseudoharengous and blueback herring, Alosa Aestivalis. The coastal range of the river herring is Nova Scotia to Florida. Both species are anadromous and spawn in the spring. Alewives may grow to 14 inches and live for as long as 10 years. Blueback herring live for 7 to 8 years and grow to 13 inches.

Alewives spawn in the spring when water temperatures reach 16 to 19 degrees Celsius. Bluebacks spawn later in the spring when temperatures are 5 degrees warmer. Between 60,000 and 300,000 eggs are produced per female. Most fish reach sexual maturity at age 4.

River herring is the oldest documented fishery in North America. It was only an inshore fishery until the 1960 in the U.S. After this time deepwater fleets began fishing for the species of the Mid-Atlantic coast. The peak catch was 24,000 mt in 1969 and had declined dramatically until the late 1970’s when the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act was implemented. The decline was associated with declining abundance in the U.S. river systems.

Rive herring were caught using fish weirs, pound nets and gill nets. Recreational fishing for the species was minimal.