The Mystic River Watershed Association reports volunteers counted 40% more herring swimming up the river to spawn at the Mystic Lakes this year than last year. Read more.

The body of Kenneth Manning, 35, of Malden, was found floating on the Somerville side of the Mystic River near Shore Drive and Ten Hills Road around 6:30 p.m., yesterday, the Middlesex County District Attorney's office reports. Read more.

Rick Macomber watched the sun go down behind the Tobin Bridge.

Michael Marshall went out for his usual afternoon jog in the Mystic River Reservation just upriver from Assembly Row - and was struck by the sight of "dozens, if not hundreds, of these large fish. All dead."

He says he reported the fish kill to DCR, adds: "There was also this strange orange boat with wheels churning the water. I wondered if that had anything to do with it." Read more.

State Police report Lucy the dog broke away from her owners around 4:30 p.m. on the Arlington side of the Mystic River to chase some swans on the ice - and promptly plunged through the ice into the frigid waters.

Jesse Haley spotted part of the old Anthony's Pier 4 floating on a barge in the Mystic River between Everett and Charlestown this morning. Anybody know what it was doing there?

The Coast Guard reports a tanker unloading liquid asphalt at the Exxon terminal in Everett spilled about 11,000 gallons of the stuff into the river around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday after a hose failed.

The liquid asphalt has solidified on the surface of the water. The asphalt is contained around the ship and there have been no known environmental impacts.

The Coast Guard has hired a couple of local hazardous-waste removal companies to clean up the asphalt from the Palanca Singapore.

H/t Neal.