AR-233 ... ~~.;·.. '-", iJ~·~11;1:t~A., r 'l_ .

~ Why the is important to coastal resources ~ What do we know about Piscataqua River resources ~ Federal and State Listed Species ~ Marine Mammals ~ Diadromous Fish ~ Resident and Seasonal Fish ~ Essential Fish Habitat ~ Important Invertebrate Species ~ Primary Producers · ~ Selected Great Bay/Piscataqua References Guard/tin of Ni'W 1/a.lllplhire•,, reat Bav/Piscataqua R1ver References •:• Wilcox, W.A. 1887. The Fisheries of New Hampshire in The Fisheries and Fishing Industries of the . G.B. Goode, Washington G.P.O.

•:• Jackson, C.F. 1922 Ecological Features of Great Bay, New Hampshire and a Preliminary Checklist of its Fish. Ecology 3:48-54

Jackson, C. F. 1944 A Biological Survey of Great Bay, N.. Marine Fisheries Commission, Durham, N.H.

•:• Jones, S.H. (ed) 2000. A Technical Characterization of Estuarine and Coastal New Hampshire. New Hampshire Estuaries Project. Portsmouth, N.H.

•:• NAI. 1971-1980 Piscataqua River Ecological Study. Rpts 1-10.

•:• NAI. 1974 Preliminary Study for Proposed Refinery, Durham, N.H.

•:• Nelson, J.l. 1981 Inventory of the Natural Resources of Great Bay Estuarine System. NHF&G.

•:• Short, F.T. (ed) 1992. The Ecology of the Great Bay Estuary N.H. and ME. An .. _ ..... ,.,._ Estuarine Profile and Bibliography_. --~-----~--~------" i .\o II )(,e:;..

~ Both federal and state law identify various species that are threatened and endangered and provide for their protection.

State: Federal (Endangered Species Act): •Grasshopper Sparrow •Bald Eagle (threatened) (threatened) •New England Cottontail (proposed) •Common Tern •American Eel (proposed) (endangered) •Shortnosed Sturgeon* •Bald Eagle (endangered) *Range includes the Piscataqua River, but there is no reliable record of its presence. Marine Mammals ./ Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972

Seals: Cetaceans:

•Harbor (most abundant) •Harbor Porpoise (most abundant) •Gray •Atlantic Bottlenose •Hooded •Atlantic White-Sided •Offshore species (some reports of their atypical presence in the river) Diadromous Fish ../ Cyclical movement into and out of Piscataqua River (i.e. anadromous, catadromous) ../ Piscataqua acts as conduit between fresh and saltwater ../ Any impediment to natural movement may effect their reproductivity Diadromous Fish ,/ New Hampshire's Diadromous Species: -Alewife - Blueback Herring - American Shad - Sea Lamprey - American Eel ,/ NHF&G operated fish ladders indicate a limited number of sea run: - Brown Trout ("salters") - Brook Trout - Rainbow Trout ("steelhead') - Atlantic Salmon [.I NI

Resident and Seasonal Fish

../ C.F. Jackson 1922 - 27 species - Added 3 more in 1944 report ../ Normandeau/PSNH fish collections 1970 - 27 species ../ NHF&G inventory study 1980's - 32 species ../ Short's monograph - 39 species C. F. Jackson - 1922

6. CascnJsT or TB£ FlsH or GHAT BAY J2. Syn~C.d I.~ · "' Stortr. Pipdish. The following is a checklist of the Lih of Great Bay known to have Common along the abore. o«~~rred within the five-year period from 1915 to 1920: f 13- forountul tri ~r.1nthT!J (Pedt). Buttem• r. Petromyzon matinus Linne. Lamprey. F· · 1~ ·--= iC1 3 ·&.,: •prl::!£. Occasionally oommon in the spring below dams at head o( brackish 14. Tautacotabruaa4s]Jmus {Wllbaum). Cur.:1tr. wnter. Excecdi!1¥1Y alumdaot in summer around roclcy lcc!ges. 2. Raja erinacea Mitchill. Little skate. r.). Tut1~ t~~fU. (Linne). Tll!tog. Fairly common. v~ 1re. 3· Anguilla rostrata I.e Sueur. Common eel. 16. Mye70Wphalut IOIIOUB (Mik'hill). Pygmy eculpb. Very abundant at the head of bracl:.:::h water. The only species of fuh Rare. aught for commercial purposes. '7· Kyuktplaal1..1 r;nalu~ka (Cuv.J. Rbck ~ 4· Clupea Jwengus Linne. I.abrador herring. Very common. u~~y couunon in tl:e colder months. 1R. Kyoxocepha.Ju1 ocCodeclllliPinOSUJ (Mitcbill). Long-spir:ttl sculpin. s. Pomolobus pseudohartngu.s (Wii!-On). Alewife. Very c01runon. Very ~.ommon in the spring at head of tide watl!r. IQ. Hemitrf~l'mla 1 1 oditaDIIS (Gmeful). Sea rmn. 6. Brevoortta tyrannus (Latrobe). Menhaden. UncolllniDI'I, Very rare. 20. Merlutclua billnearls (Milchill) . Silver hake. 7· Osmerus mordu (Mitchill). Smelt. Occ:utOr.ll. Very common thl'Oitghout tbe co!" ~r r.oonlhl at the bead of tide water. 21. Pollachius Yiren• ..:::~~.. • Pollcck. 8. Fundulus heteroditu (Unne) . Killifish. ()cn~illr~Jiy ('(\'lllllOD. Very abundant tbnlghout the year. ~.1. ltJ.:t· .~diiJ t,..,, .j (Wabam). Tomcod. g. Pun&itius pu.agitius (Linne). x:ne spined s+.ickkbaclc. Ve.rv 1nmmon 1 ihe f Fairly common. ;!J. GJ.d, r ~ ,-1•· :::r;e. Cod. to. Oasterosteus blspinosus Walbaum. Two-sp~l stickleback. LoW!l COIJ'.IDC)Il ~in the wricr a.nd fall. Jlairly common. 'l~. Urophyct teuuiJ (AiitchillJ. Sqtiiml bah. 11. Apeltes qua.dracus (Mitchill). Four-spined stickleback. Fcut.d Conunon. ~· Pseud opleuronect~ amerieuus (WaThattm). Wint ·r r "'dtr. Very cnmmon. 26. Liop.. '*1.1 f.!WI J G'!; Smooth·b. de &t:ntlcr. Commnn "'ear .,_,;j of tttl.. wa:er. ~7· Lophl· f.JI'&tc.n~o.~ I.;nno. Fishing frog. Very rare. IF ish ~and Gam e tJepa:r'tm ent 'lnd mad

Normandeau/PSNH Collections-1970

!Allt..l XVI

f"INF!SH COLLEC'rlUX S - 1970 - - - ­ -­ - - b t Collectlon 2nd Collect ion -- sru.IES Phase I Hay 19 • July l Phasll :U July 21· • Aug. 11 Phafll! TUTAL AREA SCRILLU-SUPLr.X TOTAL AREA '.SCiiiJJ,D.- snm.a TOT,.~ol. -~·~ .,, -...... -..,n.---­ ·~· Skat: X X X A;:.-... !'ll.tlt~: . u·.~:r,.tl Alewife: :< X .)...Or\...•, '1'"if?1Ch!J I ~~~U~r. C.Oho ..tlloon !{ X '-Sa l.rt~"l t.PUtta Brown t rout X X ~ Oa.~~~~e ~~ciJ: l.tinbcv I Qelt X X X X X X !A. '"..t•:;.e Goose f hh X C.~d. -r~hU. l At laJ't •.. cod X }; MiCN:JtUiuD tDUtl Cunner X X X X X Fht> ! l s gun,., ftue Rock runnel X X X X 5 (' ...,;;,;r SC-:b.l'l48 Atlantic roackcr moo th ~·lounde r X X X X X X p~t,.·url,,n Zetaoonectes 'A'i~t er F lo~dl.'r >: :i X ~. X X ;J:.t ia ..·1 ~"rt r 1 puf .cr X--~ l srien t I fie and CU11:mon nuncs of arnr.ies tlr'-' take:'\ I r u• the ·.a r1c..•n t ivherit'll Socie t y , S;x!c!.tl Publ1";Jt ion 11 No . b, "A l11tt of C(\mnon anu !k l e ntHI.c Nal"'e!l of Fi !!lol•!! f r om l 'u• r ni LNt States and Car..Jd:t 1 Third Edition , 1970. NHF&G 1·nventory Study 1981-1982

"t"".abJ 9 . 3- ~ Qc._ur.re>t..::"O nf i'H•i".:..-­ ._:apt::au=ed i.n ·Cre-A"t Ba / '':.St'I.Jary Setotl-"1n)">•·r ~·11~~l. t hrouql J u .ty 1902. Crent a .• ,. Eatuury r~n ito...-.J.hg s oT7 1 .l.-.1.982.

' ... '>Ifill'~ C•tl N"''-"'1' ' ·~ · ~il.nte .i :i~ l · Ntifl". ~ · " I n.e T r-,1-w l

~;.. ' l..JUd .?.:=. " :;:zo~ ~ r ~ __~.u6 X 1.1 t t. l e o ·k,'f.._,. K' ~!J . . r r­ ;>( ~ 'If X IE" -~~ ,...- y u A ha1·1r l.u-g ~~· .X lft!..a..!l,~ ·< 'l .• -c-r. J•' _ --~ .. -h. X 1\t t~'\ t-lL.l. C It ,.;.ffi .c .tU M "ivruq..'rrlus t • •1~,,~.;;x.~ X }( ~ ·· I • c •c-}• ~'t':t.J 1. • ·hlur. X X "~ ~· ~·~, . ·( X ,"( ..;: .v: X X ,..,." :r .'( :-l ,.X. t~:= ~.· ""' :c X X ."( •"C .. •. l r.. ~p O:: ·~· X X X ;;...... JK X '1':••,. ? .a-.:::r. -=~-."' -~ - - - - - ..15 ~6 Newingto:n Power Facility Collections

- Tabk ]. Speck• of fish fCS (E) tAd larvae (L) ln 2000-2003 toU~os from ~1R! the Nrwiugtoa Power Facility. f.FH spedes are llited in bold.

Cipec)(f Cor.mm lll1IC 2000' 2001 2002 lroJ Spec'es ( orn:mnlll'l'll! 2000' 2001 2002 20C' A~f"JI/1t /Wfnl1ll Allcicacd l I. C)~ hi.. W;;lhll L (, I. A~tll ,,._ l'wcr~ r. L l..qlari.r..!!fiJ;I Sea.l l. (. L Brnwr!iG ~n:1111111 Atl~mc:ll!:illclm ll f.:L PA. LlpariJ c:NeJ!r GlllfIC8DII I. L G~Pftlwtlflld Adu tk llmiDg L L .IIJL ElL Cltllfropnltis 1rrl414 Rieck •ea bait I . A~~~pp. Ar.dlovitt l! .slt~~1il0111ra clrf)ISnpt $alp P. - (},)111ft14 ~diu Rlinbowr-tlt L L L = l'l'glllil Weal:'fi1h L ~·blwltlt Ouk M. ElL £.11. lis T&:lllll IYL ElL liiL !JtrMI]uptu ci.rllhriru a-r HIL 1!/l. f~rocklint Ell. M. M. tMbptnra Ell. GUliS urha Atlaatlt toll IlL Ell ElL !JI. -=prt14tfonrJU S::llilbkzmy L MtlU.,fCitlltiiSllfl(/111#1 lltdclocl L IAlvria.rxbbt{IIM214 ~dlhanay L (. L 11olis,_J&, Afl'rlli«iilfbllUtri Slruhltt J!IL JIJI, IVL' R.dl\l*l I. L L Cr)placGtftltodt:J ~lltfO/otlls Nimlplu lu#ti4.J AIIIDI~ lomood L (. L w~~ I. L L ~ Ar!;,"'IH/~11!1 IJIP. s.dl~ ' r I rf.( ElL FA. L PJL Mttllhn liffl!l Pollock L L I'JL \ l 1 I .~ trJ_ J'to/liM1Jitlll pu~ SC~lboafd py t ..... l,.tV Ul'fl/tydllf'P. ITaka fJL M tot qmba tn~nl•w ~·mniMrrl• ~~n sh L &::...-1"" 'L IYL M. L ~"'Gp!ll.llicYCIJtq,illld s~ llc:aMII!r • .\.l\.i i".ca-J. · <£ • .. ll,..,:dlfspp SJ•'Cftldct L L ~/ Piml./icln!)Y olJI~N~gtit f'1lu:spot llolndl!l' Pt.~' .., Jllllflltlld Sillc.1piM tticldtbd L f.ll. 1!11. StftMllllllaiiS 'fiWIIS ·~l!plll.bi.r/tlit14 ~pipdlall f. (. L Wl.do"pant ElL 11/L ElL ~plut/111 CJ'~~oriQSIJII Sdlcutcs IIOnV'fiCWJ OoldmredH&h L L w.IJI~ M. lVI. &IL liiHni/NUJiap'*ss..ttla Prioi!Ohls lJ11'· Searobins JlJI. e E Amtt'ka• pJalft .ElL 1::11. [JL /1/mnfdf$ Utrhu111 Hflllitriptrrvs -wn.r Seamen L I. L Wtntcrleudcr !II_. f)(. flL MromapUbu ,..,. Scllpilll 1. #ltllrHttmftmtPm Yellnfd na..der M. fJL VL &~~- Ona!lby M. I. I. /'~,..,.,. Smodlii!OIIDdct L M~piwAa Lanp.m alpin L L l M. u~ Sbadka IICIIIpin L L l I T.ulaiiAlbtrorJptdd J· 41 42 ~0 hpl~ 'ltM~pttr)Jbu AIU~fJSb L l L - •-~tms in No~ttnber, ~ooly NMFS-Essential Fish Habitat. (EFH) Designation . ­ · ~ - .-- . -,. Great Bay Estuary EF~ Species and Stages Species Eggs Larvae Juveniles Adults American plaice (Hippoglossoldes platessoides) X Atlantic cod(Gadus morhua) X X X X Atlantic halibut (Hippog/ossus hippoglossus) X X X X Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) X X X Aliantic salmon (Salmo salar} X X Atlantic sea scallop (Pfacopecten magellanlcus) X X X X Atiantlc sea herring (Ciupea harengus) X X X Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) X Bluefish (Pomatomus saltattix) X X Haddock (Me/anogrammus aegfafinus) X X Pollock (Pollachius virsns) X X X X Red hake (Urophycis chuss) X X X X Yeftowtail flounder {Pieuronectes ferruginea) X X Whiting (Merluccius bilinearls) X X White hake (Urophycis tenuis) X X X X Windowpane ftounder (Scopthalmus aquosus) X X X X Wmter ftounder (Pieuroooctes Americanus) X X X X Source: NaUalal Marine~ SeMce."Sumlllll)' of Essenal Ash Habitat (EFH) Desqwllon• posted oolhe illlmet at hllp:JiwvM.nero.noaa.govhWSTATES41GtM_of_Maila_3_westem_part/43007040.html reat -Bav/Piscataaua References •!• Wilcox, W.A. 1887. The Fisheries of New Hampshire in The Fisheries and Fishing Industries of the United States. G.B. Goode, Washington G.P.O.

•!• Jackson, C.F. 1922 Ecological Features of Great Bay, New Hampshire and a Preliminary Checklist of its Fish. Ecology 3:48-54

•!• Jackson, C.F. 1944 A Biological Survey of Great Bay, N.H. Marine Fisheries Commission, Durham, N.H.

•!• Jones, S.H. (ed) 2000. A Technical Characterization of Estuarine and Coastal New Hampshire. New Hampshire Estuaries Project. Portsmouth, N.H.

•!• NAI. 1971-1980 Piscataqua River Ecological Study. Rpts 1-10.

•!• NAI. 1974 Preliminary Study for Proposed Refinery, Durham , N.H.

•!• Nelson, J.L 1981 Inventory of the Natural Resources of Great Bay Estuarine System. NHF&G.

•!• Short, F.T. (ed) 1992. The Ecology of the Great Bay Estuary N.H. and ME. An a.-.- ~- ~~ E~uarineProfileandBibliogra~p_h~Y ·~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~