PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 28, 2026
Local Partners Invite Community to Celebrate Migratory Fish and Free-Flowing Rivers
World Fish Migration Day returns to Richmond on May 2
RICHMOND, VA (April 28, 2026) – Communities around the globe are once again coming together to celebrate migratory fish and the importance of free-flowing rivers through World Fish Migration Day. This year, Richmond will join the international effort with a free, family-friendly event along the James River at Ancarrow’s Landing.
World Fish Migration Day unites thousands of organizations across the globe around a shared purpose: connecting fish, rivers, and people. The event raises awareness about the vital role migratory fish play in healthy ecosystems. This year’s theme, “We Are River People!”, highlights the universal connection people have to rivers – whether through fishing, paddling, food, culture, or simply growing up near the water.
Locally, partners including the James River Association (JRA), James River Park System (JRPS), Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), Virginia Native Fish Coalition, and Virginia Outside – will host a celebration from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Ancarrow’s Landing.
Attendees can explore a variety of hands-on activities and demonstrations:
- DWR will display a variety of fish collected from the James River in a touch tank. Attendees can get up close and personal with migratory species such as river herring and eels, as well as resident fish such as bass and catfish.
- JRA and USFWS will provide the chance to see live freshwater mussels in tanks and learn about information that highlights the relationship between mussels and migratory fish. USFWS will also offer the chance to do gyotaku, or making art with fish prints, and other family-friendly activities.
- RES will have information on river restoration and dam removal to allow and improve fish migration, as well as aquatic bug activities for kids and adults alike.
- Virginia Outside will partner with JRPS to teach kids how to fish with casting lessons and a fun fishing game for toddlers with prizes and be leading a DIY trash pickup.
May 2 also coincides with Clean the Bay Day, organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Volunteers, led by Keep Virginia Beautiful, will gather at Ancarrow’s Landing from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to help clean up the riverfront.
“We’re excited to bring people together to celebrate the James River and the incredible life it supports,” said Jamie Brunkow, Director of Advocacy and River Ecology at the James River Association. “World Fish Migration Day gives families a chance to connect with the river in a hands-on, fun, and meaningful way. That kind of connection is what inspires people to protect migratory fish and to sustain the river for generations to come.”
For more information about World Fish Migration Day, visit https://www.worldfishmigrationday.com or follow the RVA organizers on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RichmondWFMDA
ABOUT THE JAMES RIVER ASSOCIATION:
James River Association (JRA) is a member-supported nonprofit organization founded in 1976 that serves the waterways and communities of the James River. Throughout the James River’s 10,000 square mile watershed, JRA works toward its vision of a fully healthy James River supporting thriving communities. JRA believes that “when you change the James, the James changes you.” With offices in Lynchburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, and Scottsville, JRA is committed to protecting the James River and connecting people to it. For more information visit www.thejamesriver.org.