[AndyS]

For years now the focus on the lower Raritan has been the shad population.
I look at the data from years past and the numbers seem to be all over the place, take into the fact many years of tapes from the ladder were never even viewed. Pile on top of that a recent survey showing shad may not even want to use a fish ladder and the questions far out number the answers.
WILL the Raritan river EVER be able to support a sustainable shad population and at what numbers are shad deemed safe and restored. If we sit and wait it could be lost opportunity for stocking fish in the lower Raritan. The shad numbers over the past years seem to me are inconclusive. So where do we go from here, why not take the upper hand and steer the ship in another direction and leave the shad alone until another inconclusive shad survey comes along. Such is the case with anadromous fish, look at the Delaware river, the numbers there are all over the place also and it does not stop the State from stocking over 1,800 walleye annually, but the argument will be the river has a sustainable shad population.

So if we wait, and wait and wait then what, nothing gets accomplished. If we ask the tough questions that need to be asked we either get answers, some of which we may not like and others that may open many doors like fall trout stocking down to Rt. 206, or a sea run brown trout program, or walleye and muskie stocking. We as fishermen hold the steering wheel of the ship in which many fish code changes are based on, case in point with the recent TU push for no kill on certain stretches of rivers here in New Jersey.

If we look at the recent photos posted on here from the Raritan of the beautiful walleye and tiger muskies you have to kind of ask yourself where are we going here. Will shad reproduction ultimately just be a foregone conclusion and the numbers being small or large depending on how you look at it for the size of the river may just be compiled in a book of data and put away to collect dust or will shad continue to be the sole focus on the lower Raritan for many years to come. The hands of time turn slowly when dealing with situations like these, some can take many years but change can come from an idea, or a question asked.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for seeing big shad coming up the Raritan but at what poiint do you say, okay, lets flip the page and start a new chapter on the Raritan river.