The adult alewife is a sea-run fish about 12 inches long. Each spring, alewives leave the ocean, enter Maine’s coastal rivers, and make their way upstream to spawning habitat in lakes and ponds. Alewives are river herring, a term that also includes their close relatives the blueback herring and American shad.
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Maine People and the Environment: Report from the Roundtable
More than 500 citizens from across the state poured into the Augusta Civic Center on January 20th to participate in the first public meeting with Governor LePage about the importance of environmental protection to Maine’s economic and public health. A panel of 28 businesses, sportsmen, health professionals, religious leaders, and youth discussed how the laws Read More
Androscoggin Fish Passage Might Affect More Maine Rivers
by Susan Sharon MPBN Radio news story Environmental groups working to restore fish passage on the lower Androscoggin River say a recent finding by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection could have far-reaching implications for the rest of the state of Maine. For the first time, the DEP has said that a river’s water quality Read More
Alewives vs. Culvert Bremen, Maine
Poorly sited and under-sized culverts cause problems for fish and other aquatic creatures all around the state of Maine. Culverts are common in Maine and are used to channel streams under roads at thousands of places throughout the state where roads cross streams. As many as 90% of these prevent fish from moving upstream, something Read More
Using Our Muscles to Move Mussels on the Sebasticook
NRCM staff and members have had the opportunity to work with others to help relocate mussels in the Sebasticook River over the past two weeks. Many of those who volunteered wanted to share their experiences with others and have done so below. We hope that if you volunteered on this project as well that you Read More
Creature Feature: Atlantic Salmon
The Atlantic salmon is an anadromous fish, which means it spends the majority of its lifetime in the ocean, but returns to spawn in the same freshwater river or stream where it was born. In Maine, salmon begin returning to their home rivers between March and November, with a peak migration during June and July. Unlike their Pacific cousins, Atlantic salmon do not die after spawning, and can return year after year to reproduce.
State’s Rivers Focus of New Respect
MAINE VOICES: Michael Herz Portland Press Herald op-ed The recent pair of stories by Seth Harkness (“Wild sides of cityscapes,” July 2) are a joyous celebration of the wonders of water experiences to be had throughout urban Maine. In fact, Maine’s rivers offer unparalleled opportunities throughout the state for inexpensive exposure to the best that Read More
Most Mercury Found in Swordfish and Tuna Bought in Maine
NRCM: Warnings Needed Where Fish Is Sold, Clean-Up Still Needed AUGUSTA – Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine released the results of a major mercury testing project which included samples of swordfish and tuna taken from Shaw’s in Portland ME. The swordfish and tuna steaks from Maine supermarkets contained the most mercury contamination of Read More
Saving Salmon
New York Times editorial Conservationists and business interests are at loggerheads so often these days that it is heartening when they can reach an agreement that produces good outcomes for both – and for the environment. A coalition of environmental groups, an Indian tribe, government agencies and a power company recently announced an agreement that Read More
