Running Silver: Restoring Atlantic Rivers and Their Great Fish Migrations

by John Waldman

That one could “walk drishod on the backs” of schools of salmon, shad, and other fishes moving up Atlantic coast rivers was a not uncommon kind of description of their migratory runs during early Colonial times. Accounts tell of awe-inspiring numbers of spawners pushing their way upriver, the waters “running silver,” to complete life cycles that once replenished marine fisheries along the Eastern Seaboard. Over the centuries these stocks were so stressed that virtually all are now severely depressed, with many extinct and some simply forgotten. Running Silver is an important and fascinating look at the fish whose history, life-cycles and conservation challenges are so poorly understood.
Drawing on the author's thirty-year career as scientist and educator, the book tells the story of the past, present and future of these sea-river fish through research, historical accounts, personal anecdotes, interviews, and images. Running Silver will detail the enormous legacy that has already been lost and try to inspire efforts to save what remains.

Genres: Conservation, Biology

304 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking.

A must read for any fish biologist, conservationist, ecologist or any human that lives near a coastal river for that matter. I love the passion and care Waldman has for these fishes and the people who support and fight for them. The quotes chosen for the chapter epigraphs were superb. The multitude of challenges diadromous fish face were well documented and complete.

A little sporadic at times and definitely a heavy topic. I found myself wishing for more discussion on actionable solutions, though perhaps the limited focus reflects the grim reality of the situation at the time of writing (and still today unfortunately). It took me a while to finish but I’ll chalk that up to my preference for fiction fantasy over real-world struggles.

[Dan O'Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important book. Anyone who considerers themself an environmentalist should read this. Honestly, everyone should read this. I actually referenced this book in my memoir about lacrosse, which makes almost no sense.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book 5 stars, but it kind of dragged at the end for me. In all fairness, that may just be because I'm very well read on this topic.

I enjoyed that the book was split up into different topics and species. It also worked hard to dispel common myths and tales told on the east coast about various fishes and replace them with facts. It made the point about how humans didn't exactly harvest the resources wisely without being unnecessarily harsh on people who were just trying to survive and make a living.

A good read if you live on the Atlantic seaboard, like history, fish, fishing, rivers, or just want a good book that can be picked up and put down without losing the thread of the story.

[Nick Yurchenko]

Good book

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passionately written and a little depressing at times. If you're at all interested in NE ecology, rivers and/or fish, this is a must read