Sea Lampreys! Where do these mysterious fish go? In which tributaries of the Connecticut River can we find them and which streams do they prefer to spawn in?

Volunteers can join us and walk rivers and streams to document sea lamprey nests and help fishery biologists capture sea lamprey at dam sites and truck them above impassable dams to otherwise off-limits habitats. Monitors throughout the watershed are surveying selected streams and rivers in June and July looking for the presence of sea lamprey in the water by finding their nests.

Their nests can be hard to spot, but once you’ve identified a few you won’t have any trouble finding them. Using their suction-like mouths, lampreys group surrounding rocks and pebbles together, in a round/oval formation. In the center of this formation is what is called the “egg pit”, a depression in the river bed ranging in diameter size of 12 to 20 inches, where the eggs are deposited. Near the center of this formation, in the pit, you might also find a single rock, called the “attachment rock” where sea lamprey hold on to while spawning. Down stream of the egg pit, you’ll find the “tailspill”, a pile of rocks and pebbles build by the lamprey to “catch” the eggs, and block them from flowing downstream. Sea lamprey nests can be found in depths ranging from 1 foot to 5 feet.

Join us in Claremont, NH to help us find these creatures in the Sugar River! This survey is done by walking a mile in the riverbed of the river. Volunteers should prepare to get wet! Instructions will be sent after registration!