Bangor Daily News editorial It’s time alewives were allowed into the upper reaches of the St. Croix River. Research, in addition to dozens of ponds and streams in Maine, show that alewives can coexist with smallmouth bass. Until there is solid scientific evidence that bass populations will diminish with an influx of alewives north of Read More
Protecting Maine's Wildlife
Maine is home to a wide variety of wildlife, and, for some species, Maine makes up a vast majority of their range or provides essential habitat that can’t be found elsewhere. NRCM works to protect Maine’s wildlife by advocating for policies that ensure they have healthy habitat and abundant resources to thrive.
Don’t Underestimate Kennebec Atlantic Salmons’ Drive to Return
by Ron Joseph Kennebec Journal op-ed In mid-July, five adult Atlantic salmon were live-trapped at Waterville’s Lockwood Dam, the first of four Kennebec River dams blocking the upstream passage of salmon, alewives and other sea-run fish. The salmon, ranging in weight from 10 to 20 pounds, were trucked upriver of Waterville’s dams and released in Read More
East-west Highway Going in the Wrong Direction
by Roger Merchant Bangor Daily News op-ed I’ve listened to lots of talk to gather facts about the costs and benefits of the proposed east-west highway. Lots of new information came out this past weekend at the open forum in Dexter, which stood in stark contrast to the prior orchestrated event in Dover-Foxcroft, which dismissed Read More
EPA Orders State: Open St. Croix to Alewives
The directive overrules two Maine laws intended to protect other fish species, but environmentalists say the presence of the foragers will benefit ecosystems. by Colin Woodard, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story In a victory for environmentalists, lobstermen, and the Passamaquoddy Indians, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has directed the state to allow alewives Read More
Saving a River, and Its Species
New York Times editorial On Monday morning, wrecking crews began demolishing the 1,000-foot-long Great Works Dam in Bradley, Me., the first step in a multiyear effort to restore ancient fish runs on the Penobscot River. This is a very welcome development for the environment and a tribute to the willing collaboration of many players, public Read More
Dam Removal to Help Restore Spawning Grounds
by Murray Carpenter New York Times news story BRADLEY, Me. — Under a bright sky here, a convoy of heavy equipment rolled onto the bed of the Penobscot River on Monday to smash the Great Works Dam, a barrier that has blocked the river for nearly two centuries. Before the destruction began, a tribal elder Read More
Maine Dam Removal Aims to Rescue Fish Species
by David Abel Boston Globe news story BRADLEY, Maine – When the steel claw of an excavator slashes into the berm of the Great Works Dam on Monday morning, it will mark the start of a multimillion-dollar project to allow endangered and dwindling species to return to their historic spawning grounds along Maine’s longest river, Read More
A Damned Dam On The Penobscot River
by Susan Sharon NPR news story Like most members of the Penobscot Nation, Scott Phillips grew up near the Penobscot River and learned to paddle and fish as a young boy. He took to it like a duck to water. He became a competitive racer and eventually opened his own business selling canoes, kayaks and Read More
‘It’s Easy for People in Maine to Forget What a Big Deal This Is’
by Tom Bell, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story INDIAN ISLAND — Work crews today began demolition of the Great Works Dam on the Penobscot River, the largest-ever river restoration project in eastern North America. Excavators began pounding the defunct concrete fishway in the middle of the dam following more than an hour of Read More