Alewife and Blueback Herring regulations in Maryland

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Alewife and Blueback Herring is closed to harvest. Release it.

Alewife and Blueback Herring size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays	Closed to harvest	—	—
Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries	Closed to harvest	—	—

Exact Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services wording

Season: CLOSED
Size: CLOSED
Limit: CLOSED
Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays — as printed: “Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad and Shortnose Sturgeon | CLOSED”
Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries — as printed: “Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad and Shortnose Sturgeon | CLOSED”

Source: Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).

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About the alewife and blueback herring

Species of North American shad

The alewife or river herring is a species of herring found in North America. It is commonly anadromous but there are also significant landlocked populations. It is one of the smaller species of shad, of the subgenus Pomolobus. As an adult it is a marine species found in the northern West Atlantic Ocean, moving into estuaries before swimming upstream to breed in freshwater habitats, but some populations live entirely in fresh water.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Alewife and Blueback Herring in Maryland?

CLOSED in Maryland state waters.

How many Alewife and Blueback Herring can you keep per day in Maryland?

CLOSED.

When is Alewife and Blueback Herring season in Maryland?

Open year-round.

Is my Alewife and Blueback Herring a keeper today?

Alewife and Blueback Herring is closed to harvest. Release it.