Shad in the Schools

Abstract

Since 2003, the Brandywine Conservancy has worked to restore American shad to the Brandywine River. In May, they involved students from four schools—two in Delaware and two in Pennsylvania—in a hands-on "Shad in the Schools" program. The students raised baby shad in classroom hatcheries and released them into the river, learning about water quality, ecology, and history. The project aims to address historical habitat loss caused by dams built during the 18th and 19th centuries, which blocked shad migration. The Conservancy is working with partners to explore options like dam removal and fish passage solutions to restore the river’s ecosystem and create new recreational fishing opportunities. The program expects the 8,000 shad fry released by students to return and spawn in the river by 2014. The initiative has generated interest from other schools, and the Conservancy plans to expand the program further.