Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means it's official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Summer 2025
    Dauphin County

    By the time the summer heat dominates days on the Juniata River, almost 1.2 million American Shad Fry will be making their way downstream on a journey to the ocean. Through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in April, the Fish and Boat Commission began the process of raising the fish. They started as eggs from the Potomac River when the Shad run from the ocean to spawning grounds began.

    Female staff member standing inside research station of large tanks for growing fish. She is scooping feed from a 5-gallon bucket to disperse into a tank with American Shad fry Female staff member standing inside research station of large tanks for growing fish. She is scooping feed from a 5-gallon bucket to disperse into a tank with American Shad fry
    Female staff member inside a tank scooping American Shad fry into a 5-gallon bucket. Female staff member inside a tank scooping American Shad fry into a 5-gallon bucket.

    Prepping for the Journey

    After about a week, the eggs hatch and become fry. Staff feed and raise them for another month before they are ready to leave the safety of the tanks at the VanDyke Research Station. They are moved from the station to the river in 5-gallon buckets with about 15-20 thousand fry in each bucket. 

    Overhead looking into a 5-gallon bucket holding a clear plastic bag of water with hundreds of American Shad Fry. Overhead looking into a 5-gallon bucket holding a clear plastic bag of water with hundreds of American Shad Fry.
    Inside the research station, a row of 5 5-gallon buckets with tied off plastic bags inside each. Inside the research station, a row of 5 5-gallon buckets with tied off plastic bags inside each.

    During the month that PFBC staff feed tiny American Shad fry, they also tag the fish with OTC (oxytetracycline). The chemical marks their tiny earbones (otoliths) so that they can be tracked when they return from the ocean to spawn in 3-5 years. Before they are released into the water, staff take a sample to identify the OTC on the fish.

    Microscope enlarged image of an American Shad Fry earbone. Blue and white variations in color show rings of growth on the bone. Microscope enlarged image of an American Shad Fry earbone. Blue and white variations in color show rings of growth on the bone.
    Magnified image of an American Shad Fry earbone that has been tagged with OTC. Reddish rings indicate the days when the fish were tagged. Magnified image of an American Shad Fry earbone that has been tagged with OTC. Reddish rings indicate the days when the fish were tagged.

    Bringing Back American Shad: Prepping for the Journey

    Join part 1 of our series "Bringing Back American Shad." Learn how our biologists get 200,000 tiny American shad fry into 5-gallon buckets for the start of a long (and hopefully) successful journey. PFBC biologists spend weeks raising thousands of tiny American Shad in an effort to send them out into the Juniata River, but it is not easy to catch these little guys. By the looks of the challenge of catching them, you’d think they prefer staying in the tank at our Van Dyke Research Station. From the Juniata River, they begin their journey to the ocean where they will become adults. In 3-5 years, they'll come back to their release spot to spawn the next generation.

    Journey to the Water

    The hope is that the fry will make a successful trip to the ocean, grow and then return to the Juniata River to spawn in 3-5 years. On average, one in every 500 fry will make the return trip to spawn. PFBC staff will be able to track returners through a special tagging process on the fish’s tiny earbone. 

    Bringing Back American Shad: To the Water

    After feeding tiny American Shad fry for a month, PFBC staff load up the tiny fish for the start of their journey down the Juniata River. On this day, 200,000 fish make the trip to the water in 5-gallon buckets. In late April, these fish started as eggs from the Potomac River when the shad run from the ocean to spawning grounds began. The project is possible because of a partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2025, the Fish and Boat Commission is stocking nearly 1.2 million Shad into the Juniata River in hopes that they will return in 3-5 years to spawn.