*In-ter-vale n. [a blending of INTERVAL + VALE] [Americanism, Chiefly New England] low, flat land between hills or along a river. Webster’s New World Dictionary PROTECTING RIVERS AND WILD ATLANTIC SALMON SINCE 1982 Downeast Salmon Federation P.O. Box 201 Columbia Falls, Maine 04623 INTERVALE D OWNEAST S ALMON F E D ERATION Spring 2019 Documenting the Success of MEANDERS “Choosing to save a river is the Peter Gray Parr Project more often an act of passion than of careful calculation. You make the choice because the river has touched your life in an intimate and irreversible way, because you are unwilling to accept its loss." — David Bolling Photo credit: Keith Williams Help DSF Achieve Thank You to Our ince 2012, over 1 million fall Atlantic Salmon migrate erratic environmental Major Business parr (juvenile Atlantic Salmon) from the rivers to the sea) conditions. In 2018, the Shave been raised in the Peter populations resulting from the estimated total production Significant Landmarks Partners Gray Hatchery and released into PGPP are 4 times higher than was 0.73 smolt per unit of e have been very busy at DSF this events over the last year. There are the East Machias River. During smolt populations generated habitat, increasing from Wpast winter! From our community plans to add several more events this time period, the watershed from other stocking methods; 0.39 at the start of the PGPP; outreach events to our wild Atlantic throughout 2019. You can see experienced record-setting heat, • Age distribution of the PGPP • The neighboring Narraguagus Salmon hatcheries, we are constantly our upcoming schedule at www. drought, cold, precipitation, smolt population is more River produces about 0.25 making strides to fulfill DSF's mission mainesalmonrivers.com/events. flooding, and the rapid warming equivalent to what we see smolt per unit—one-third the to conserve sea-run fish and their These workshops are made of the Gulf of Maine. Despite in wild salmon populations number of smolt produced habitats; restore a viable recreational possible by the generous support these extreme events, the than it is with other methods; per unit by the PGPP in salmon fishery; and protect important of the Belvedere Traditional river, scenic, recreational, and Handcrafts Fund through the results of DSF’s experimental • Since the start of the PGPP, the East Machias River; ecological resources in eastern Maine. Maine Community Foundation. Peter Gray Parr Project (PGPP) there has an upward trend have been very encouraging: in the numbers of smolt • DSF Executive Director, Dwayne • In January, our Peter Gray Continued on page 2 Shaw, and Board President, George Hatchery received 370,000 eyed • The watershed-wide large parr migrating to sea, despite Leinbaugh, recently met with staff Atlantic Salmon eggs, which density—that is, the number of members from both of Maine's will be reared to fall parr and 2 to 3 year-old fish found per US Senate offices to discuss the stocked in the East Machias River. unit of habitat—is more than Small Property, Big Impact state of Atlantic Salmon restoration • Our Pleasant River Hatchery double the density seen using in Maine. They enjoyed getting received 144,000 eyed other methods of stocking; SF has been engaged for upwards of 25 years in dis- a tour of both our Pleasant River Atlantic Salmon eggs. • The PGPP produced the Dcussions regarding the future of the West Branch Hatchery in Columbia Falls and If you believe in a future of healthy highest ever large parr of the Pleasant River in Addison and Columbia. Peter Gray Hatchery in East Machias. rivers, abundant fisheries, and For more information on how density, measured over each Tidal barriers (a dike and self-closing gates) prohibit adequate • DSF partnered with Maine Outdoor vibrant communities, consider your business can become a DSF fish passage and normal tidal hydrology. This structure was built School to provide over a dozen fly decade, since electrofishing giving to DSF. We rely on Business Partner, please contact over 70 years ago to encourage agriculture within the floodplain salt tying clinics throughout Washington donations from our members. began in the mid-1970s. [email protected] The next highest decadal marshes. Recently, the ME DOT, Army Corp of Engineers and several and Hancock counties. More than We appreciate your support! other agencies have announced their intentions for an extensive 210 people have participated in these THANK YOU! median was during the 1970s; • Smolt (the life stage when Continued on page 2 207.483.4336 www.mainesalmonrivers.org PO Box 201, Columbia Falls, Maine 04623 Small Property, Spawning Tomcod return to Big Impact restored Habitat in Frenchman Bay where a house had been built on see Smelt, Sea-Run Brook Trout, or the first time in more than the kids pulled a few of the first came under the ice into the cove. a tiny extension of the fill used Tomcod and maybe even salmon half a century, Tomcod have stones from the top of the dam. They swam over the old dam site to build the dike. This “postage in this river system once again. Freturned to spawn in Smelt Brook DSF Habitat Restoration and for the first time in 50 years stamp” parcel is surrounded by in Sullivan! Last year DSF removed Project Manager, Shri Verrill they found gravel at the head of wetlands. When the house that the 50 year old dam that kept fish facilitated permitting, drew up a tide where they laid their eggs. had been grandfathered there out of the stream and nutrients restoration plan and supervised “I’m really, really thrilled on the dike was destroyed by fire from flowing into Smelt Cove the dam removal and salt marsh with what’s going on down there. a few years ago, DSF approached at the head of Frenchman Bay. restoration project in September. Glad to hear the Tomcod are being the owners to suggest that the As Smelt Brook continued to spotted. This is a good thing. I’m best use for the property was as flow despite the mouth of the an absolute supporter!" Said Rob a part of the restoration of the Documenting stream being cut off from Smelt Eaton, Sullivan Town Manager watershed and that we would Cove, years of sediment and "I love to see the restoration be interested in buying the land. nutrients were impounded of natural passage. Thanks to Continued from page 1 The owners – who were at one the Success of upstream of the dam. “There was common sense, a scientific time opposed to restoration the Peter Gray habitat restoration outcome. of the marshes and river, had about two feet of muck at the approach and positive The DOT structures are changed their position after bottom of the pond,” says Verrill. results we are winning small Parr Project “We found a few Tomcod victories for our planet." in very serious disrepair and learning of some of the great Continued from page 1 in jeopardy of catastrophic improvements that would come downstream of the dam last Ciccotelli brought failure. To lay the groundwork • The average smolt to adult year and in the past few photographer and author for restoration, DSF and our return rate (the number of years we documented a few Keith Williams of Freshwater fisheries and land trust partners smolts that exit the river smelt eggs on the face of the Journeys to document fish have been involved in our compared to the number dam," noted DSF Fisheries runs in streams Downeast and own restoration and outreach of adult fish that return to Biologist, Brett Ciccotelli. Keith caught this photo of efforts in this watershed. Due spawn) of PGPP reared fish "This year It’s great to find Microgadus Tomcod. to its size (nearly 350 acres) is higher than the return rate that Tomcod found their way the West Branch is considered for naturally reared salmon upstream past where the Photo credit: Bangor Daily News one of the most important salt on the Narraguagus River dam used to be and are now Once the excavator, marsh restoration opportunities and smolt stocked salmon spawning again. We hope to find dump truck, and bulldozer came in the entire Gulf of Maine. on the Penobscot River. smelt here in the spring too!” and took the dam out, Smelt Our work here has led to a In other words, DSF’s Around New Year's 2018 Brook ran freely into Smelt number of successes. Recently, Peter Gray Parr Project is DSF purchased the property Cove once more. Fall rain and DSF acquired what is technically with natural salt marshes and producing more juvenile Atlantic surrounding Smelt Brook with several months of high tides a “non-conforming property” Salmon in the East Machias River fisheries. Late last year, DSF was help from the Maine Natural helped the stream cut through Photo credit: Keith Williams than there has been seen in the able to acquire the property with Resource Conservation Program the deposited sediment and The fish bring joy to those of river in the last five decades assistance from Maine Coast and other groups and individuals exposed gravel bars as far as 150 us who work to make way for their and the project is producing Heritage Trust and with funds who chipped in time and funds. In feet upstream from the old dam. passage. We’re glad you’re back! raised through our membership. returning adults at a much higher rate than neighboring rivers! the spring, classes from Sumner Late at night in the dark This spring we expect to Removal of the tide High School came down to survey and cold of December--and document returning Smelt to gates in this location will have Your help goes a long the pond for Brook Trout--with fly likely other evenings over the their namesake brook and cove.