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FERC plans sells Kennebec’s endangered Atlantic salmon short
This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released a Draft EIS affecting four hydroelectric dams on Maine’s Kennebec River. The FERC recommendations amount to incremental improvements over what is now a dire situation for Atlantic salmon in the Kennebec. We have tried the incremental approach before on rivers like the Connecticut, Merrimack, Saco, and Androscoggin.…
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NOAA biological opinion unrealistic for Kennebec River recovery
Atlantic salmon runs in U.S. waters have endured blow after blow over the past two centuries. They just received another one. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this week released a Biological Opinion (BiOp) on an energy giant’s proposed solutions to improve fish passage infrastructure at four hydroelectric dams on Maine’s Kennebec River, one…
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Maine’s Atlantic salmon on the brink
Removing the four lower dams on Maine’s Kennebec River may be the best hope to save Atlantic salmon in the U.S. The Hydro Kennebec Dam is one of four dams on the Kennebec River that block migratory fish from moving upstream. Spring was a time of renewal and reward in Maine in the pre-industrial age. Hardened…
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Photos capture dramatic salmon rescue in Maine
By Mark Taylor and Jeff Reardon Stranded in an isolated pool below a dewatered dam, the large Atlantic salmon scooted back and forth, knocking its snout into rocks as it frantically looked for escape. Salvation came in the form of a long-handled net. An employee with the Maine Department of Marine Resources scooped up the salmon, hustling the fish to…
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John Gierach: The Secret
A few years back, Gray Ghost Productions crafted a fly fishing film about Atlantic salmon. It was called "Turning Tail," and it featured John Gierach, the renowned author and angler whose books line the shelves of avid trout bums everywhere. The film was about the value of the Atlantic salmon and the tragedy that would…
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The Rise of the River Herring
If you ever have doubts that ocean-going fish like shad, herring and salmon can recover with just a little help, take a quick look at the video below, produced by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. https://vimeo.com/216513412 In Maine's Damariscotta River, in the community of Damariscotta Mills, the restoration of a 200-year-old fish ladder has…
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