Rhode Island state waters, out to 3 miles
Harvest, landing, or possession of river herring prohibited in RI marine waters.
RI DEM 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 Rhode Island: the default applies (No size limit, no limit (hook and line); 2 quarts/person/day if taken by net).
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 Rhode Island?
No. Harvest is prohibited in Rhode Island. Release it in the water where you can. Harvest, landing, or possession of river herring prohibited in RI marine waters.
How current is this Rhode Island blueback herring rule?
Source: RI DEM 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 Rhode Island and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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