There are definitely some sad stories but not all is lost nationwide...
There is still a lot of messed up things about the Potomac River my home water. But, in the last few years the American and Hickory shad have come back strong. Runs of both species are the highest they've been in 2 decades. Striped bass numbers are back from dismal lows of the 80's. You can catch them consistently when they make their spring spawning runs. Often very nice sized fish, some days til your arms hurt. The Potomac River is still one of the best tidal LMB fisheries in the world. Lot's of 2-4 pound bass with a bass or two over 10 pounds caught every year. Not bad for a public fishery on a tidal river with mostly northern LMB genes! Even with the recent introduction of snakeheads things are still going great for the LMB. I think the snakeheads will actually be an interesting addition to the river's ecosystem. A recent introduction of blue cats into the Potomac has led to a phenomenal blue cat fishery with the record being broken every other year or so and biologists except the record to go over 100 pounds in the next few years. The upper Potomac is seeing musky naturally reproducing, where they came from no one knows but they are there now and doing quite well. Same with walleye, a few original stockings in the late 70's and early 80's has led to a healthy population of fish. Smallies are also doing quite well, in spite of male fish sometimes growing ovaries and producing eggs and the occasional water quality related fish kills. There are challenges facing the fishery but a lot of organizations are working hard to improve it. The economic downturn and subsequent cut in funding isn't helping. The continual growth in the human population in the area isn't helping either... But I am not giving up yet.
