SlotGaugeCheck a catchAlewife regulations in Virginia
· Saltwater · 2026 season
Alewife size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia marine waters | Open year-round | Illegal to possess | Illegal to possess |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' zones[0].closed / bagNote and zones. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/public/reports/swrecfishingrules.php
- Moratorium on river herring: illegal to possess.
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Closed
- Size
- Illegal to possess
- Limit
- Illegal to possess
- statewide — as printed
- “ALEWIFE … Moratorium on River Herring, illegal to possess.”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the alewife
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.
Read more about Alewife (fish) on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Alewife in Virginia?
Illegal to possess in Virginia state waters.
How many Alewife can you keep per day in Virginia?
Illegal to possess.
When is Alewife season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Alewife a keeper today?
Alewife is closed to harvest. Release it.