What happened to the Herring?

OK so let me get this straight. The people in charge said we can't fish for herring they are endangered. No one is fishing for them or using them as bait this year. You would think the rivers and ponds would be filled with them. Where are they has anyone seen any? I haven't.

They are in the old episodes of the Twilight Zone. Completely AWOL where I have been fishing.

It's a mystery. Don't they come in to the rivers about the same time every year?