Shad actually spends most of its life at sea and only swims up freshwater to spawn. This species were formerly very abundant in both the Merrimack River of MA/NH and the Connecticut River of CT/MA/NH/VT but now exists at a much smaller quantity as far upstream as Bellows Falls of the Connecticut River and as far as Amoskeag Fishway of the Merrimack River in Manchester, NH. The Amoskeag fishway actually has windows built in to the side of the dam to allow sight of Shad, Salmon and other species while swimming up and down river.
Efforts are being made by multiple organizations to restore Shad to it's former spawning grounds in both watersheds.