The DRBC table at Shad Fest. Photo by the DRBC.

DRBC staff was happy to return to the historic Lambertville Shad Fest to celebrate its 43rd year!

This annual arts, music and environmental festival has been held along the Delaware River each spring to time with the return of the American shad, an anadromous fish that returns "home" each year to reproduce in the river in which it was born.

Our team was graciously hosted on the river's edge by the Lewis Fishery, the last N.J. commercial shad fishery on the non-tidal river. William Lewis established the fishery in 1888; his son Fred Lewis took over the family business. Upon Fred's passing in 2004, grandson Steve Meserve took the helm and carries on the tradition with a dedicated team of family and friends to this day.  

DRBC staff taught about the importance of macroinvertebrates ("macros" or aquatic insects) as indicators of water quality. Visitors of all ages had the opportunity to examine preserved specimens collected from the river by staff and learned which ones are sensitive to pollution and which ones are more pollution tolerant. Staff also had a survey for folks to complete to get their feedback about water resiliency. Shad Fest was the first public outreach event survey opportunity of many planned this spring and summer to get the public's input as part of Phase 2 of DRBC's Water Resources Resilience Plan.

During Shad Fest, the Lewis Fishery shared videos, photos and articles spanning over a century. They also demonstrated how they fish for shad with a net, a traditional technique known as seining - catching several shad to the delight of festival attendees. During the spring spawning run, which is typically from April to ~mid-May, the Fishery is out nearly daily fishing for shad. Fish that are caught are sold on-demand to the local community or returned to the river. Importantly, the data they collect on shad and other fish in the river are shared with state fisheries biologists, providing a vital, century-long dataset on overall shad numbers, males vs. females and more. 

  • One Family's Relentless Pursuit of the Bony, Oily, Elusive Shad (New York Times, April 26, 2025)

Community outreach is an important way for DRBC staff to engage with the public, inform about what we do, and also talk about they too can do to help keep our shared waters healthy, sustainable and resilient. DRBC has been participating in Shad Fest for roughly 30 years, and we look forward to next year's celebration!

DRBC staff at Lambertville Shad Fest waiting for the crowds. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff shows young Shad Fest attendees samples of bugs found in the river. Photo by the DRBC.	Owned by the Lewis/Meserve Family, the Shad Shed sits along the Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC staff shows young Shad Fest attendees samples of bugs found in the river. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC's table was a popular stop at the Lambertville Shad Fest. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC staff shows young Shad Fest attendees samples of bugs found in the river. Photo by the DRBC.