Connecticut River
Sunderland, MA 01375-9480
Plan Your Visit
The Connecticut River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is an administrative office, but visitors have an abundance of fishing and fish viewing activities in the area! Visit our Get Involved page for more information on local fishing regulations and fish viewing opportunities.
Featured Species
Get Involved
We would love to partner with you on restoring habitat and species, or conducting outreach with youth and the public on the environment. Please contact us to see what opportunities are available. We currently work with several local groups on community pollinator gardens, removing invasive species projects, and conducting public outreach on the environment and the Connecticut River basin. Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. We partner with volunteers, youth groups/students, landowners, neighbors and residents of both urban and rural communities to make a lasting difference. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved!
Services
The Connecticut River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office works to restore and protect habitat for the migratory fish and resident aquatic species in the Connecticut River basin. We restore important habitat and fish connectivity between streams, rivers and lakes. Our projects improve water quality, help increase abundance of fish, and sustain the economic and recreational benefits derived from fishing and recreating in our public waters.
Since 1967, our office has worked with local environmental groups, private industry, and state and federal agencies to restore migratory fish in the Connecticut River basin. This collaboration continues and is focused on the long-term health of the Connecticut River. We work closely with state and local governments, universities, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission, and watershed groups like Connecticut River Watershed Council. We also work with other federal agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and U.S. Geological Service, tribal nations and the government of Canada.
About
The Connecticut River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is part of a national network of field stations that works to conserve fish and aquatic resources. Biologists evaluate native fish stocks and provide recommendations to state, tribal, and international partners for sustaining native migratory fisheries. The office specifically prioritizes the restoration of species such as river herring, American shad, American eel, and sturgeon within the Connecticut River basin. They also collaborate with dam owners on hydroelectric project relicensing to minimize environmental impacts and improve access to historic spawning areas.