Connecticut state waters, out to 3 miles
Taking anadromous alewife and blueback herring is prohibited in all CT waters including Long Island Sound.
CT DEEP 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
AlewifeBigger eye, gray-green back, pale gut lining. Tell them apart
Atlantic herringNo shoulder spot. Tell them apartNot listed by Connecticut: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
The alewife's twin with a blue-black back and smaller eye; told apart for sure by the black gut lining. More on the blueback herring page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Blueback herring in other states14 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask2
Can you keep blueback herring in Connecticut?
No. Harvest is prohibited in Connecticut. Release it in the water where you can. Taking anadromous alewife and blueback herring is prohibited in all CT waters including Long Island Sound.
How current is this Connecticut blueback herring rule?
Source: CT DEEP 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at a blueback herring in Connecticut and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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