Alewives return to part of Maine river for first time in nearly 300 years

Alewives return to part of Maine river for first time in nearly 300 years

For the first time in nearly three centuries, alewives are returning to a part of the Presumpscot River.

MALLISON FALLS DAM ON THEWINDHAM-GORHAM LINE.---WATER NATS---(10-28- 57)(MICHAELSHAUGHNESSY/ PRESIDENT,FRIENDS OF THE PRESUMPSCOTRIVER)"THE GOAL WASALWAYS TO GET THE FISH UPHERE BUT TO SEE THAT MANY(BUTT TO 10-29- 08) THAT WASVERY EXCITG.INFOR MICHAELSHAUGHNESSY,,, THE SIGHTOF ALL THOSE MANY FISH ,,'SEA RUN' ALEWIFES ---MEANS SUCCESS.PRESIDENT OF FRIENDS OFTHE PRESUMPSCOT RIVER,,IT'S THE LATESTREALIZATION IN THE GRO'S UPNEARLY 30-YEAR EFFORT TORESTORE THIS RIVER,,,(10-33-58)(SHAUGHNESSY)"BUT IT'S NOT DONEYET, YOU CAN SEE THE FISH UPHERE AT THE BASE OF THESEFALLS TELL US THAT THEY'REGOING TO GUPO , THERE'S GOODSPAWNING GROUND UP ABOVETHIS."NOT FOR NEARLY 3-HUNDREDYEARS,, 1730,, HE SAYS,HAVE ALEWIFES MADE IT ALLTHE WAY TO THE MALLISONDAM,, ABOUT 15- MILES FROMCASCO Y.BATHAT WAS ONLY MADEPOSSIBLE WITH THE REVAMOLOF DAMS AND THEINSTALLATION OF FISHLADDERS,,,, E THLATEST ATWESTBROOKS SACCAPPA RAFALLS -- THIS STATE OF THEART FISH WAY BUILT BY THESAPPI PAPER COMPANYCOMPLETED JUST THIS YEAR.(10-31-29)(SHAUGHNESS Y)"THIS IS THE FIRSTYEAR ANY FISH HAVE BEEN ABLETO GET PAST SACCARAPPA ."(10-37-38) (ROBSANFORD/FRIENDS OF THEPRESUMPSCOT RIVER)"AS THE DAMS START TOCOME OUT AND THE FLOWINCREASES WITH GREATERFLUXUATION, THIS RIVER ISWORKING ITS WAY BACK TO WHATIT HAD ORIGINALLY EVOLVETO BE WHICH IS A COLD WATERFISHERIES WITH ANADROMOUSFISH AND PEOE PLCO-EXISTING WITH THA" T.FISH COUNTINWIG LLSOON BEGIN AT SACCARRA,,PAAND THAT WILL DETERMINEWHEN OR IF,, THIS DAM ISREMOVED OR FH ISLADDERS PUTIN..(10-31-45)(SHAUGHNESSY)"BUT THIS IS AREAL GLYOOD SIGN HAVING ALLTHESE FISH UP HERE,, WHICHLOOKS LIKE THERE'STHOUSANDS OF THEM HERE ."IT'S TAKEN NEARLY THREEDECADES OF NEGOTIATIS ONEVEN A SUPREME COURT RULG INFOR THE FISH TO REACHMALLISON FALLS,,,,,EVENTUALLY FRIENDS OF E THPRESUMPSCOT HOPESTHERE'LL BCLE EAR PASSE AGALL THE WAY UP RIVER.... BUTADMITTEDLY,, THAT COULD BEEVEN MANY MORE DECADESAWAY ..(10-33-37)(SHAUGHNESSY)"THIS IS A SUCCESS TO GETTHEM THIS FAR SO IT'S ININCREMENTAL SUCCESS SETHEIR MOVING UP STREAM,ONCE THEY GET TO THE NEXTPLACE THAN THAT'S THE NEXTCHALLENGE."AT ONE POINT IN TIME THEPRESUMPSCOT S WACONSIDERED THE MOST DAMMEDRIVER IN THE IN THE UNITEDSTAT