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Alewife Harvesters Oppose Threatened Status
Our (the AHM board’s) comments are meant to apply to and hopefully influence decisions regarding river herring that persist inside Maine’s borders. Those fish that spawn here, are harvested here and managed here are our primary concern. We recognize that there are difficulties with river herring populations in other states and provinces north and south of Maine, but those circumstances do not necessarily influence the Maine sub-population.
We encourage NOAA-NMFS not to list Maine river herring as threatened. Conservation is working in Maine. River herring populations are large and growing in almost all cases with the Kennebec River as the jewel of restoration efforts in Maine. At least a million fish were passed over Benton Falls Dam into upstream spawning habitat in each of 2009, 2010 and 2011. Read More – AHoM_ESA letter
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES COALITION
Good afternoon Governor LePage and Commissioners Olsen and Woodcock –
Yesterday I was speaking with Jeffrey Pierce, Executive Director of the Alewife Harvesters of Maine.
We work closely together on issues associated with the management of river herring species through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
He explained that he had met with all of you earlier this week, advocating for the introduction of alewife in the upper reaches of the St. Croix watershed.
As a representative of Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel seiners and mid-water trawlers, organized as the Sustainable Fisheries Coalition, who occasionally interact with river herring species at sea, I wrote to the International Board last summer, supporting the position that the AHM outlined to you in your meeting. The letter is attached, for your information.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide additional information. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you, to discuss the issues involved, at your convenience.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jeff Kaelin
Government Relations, Lund’s Fisheries, Inc.
Clerk, Sustainable Fisheries Coalition
Winterport, Maine
On behalf of the fishermen and plant employees of the Atlantic herring and mackerel companies organized as the Sustainable Fisheries Coalition
SFC to Int St Croix River Board re Alewife restoration 08 16 10
Many Years Of Dam Disputes
Landis Hudson – Maine Rivers writes with some interesting history.
Hall et al 2010[1] Landscape Ecology
— Carolyn Hall doesn’t get much into the St Croix, but she mentions research done by a Canadian researcher, Heike Lotze. I got Lotze’s work and read it over the summer, she’s going to scan and send me a 2000 report from the St Croix Commission that she used.
Watts St.Croix REPORT
I also have a report that Doug Watts wrote, looking at the early history and petitions from settlers in Baileyville, Baring and Calais complaining bitterly about impassable dams. I imagine people like Lance Wheaton saw this document five years ago
Thanks Landis
Atlantic Salmon Federation
St. Andrews, NB… A meeting of the International Joint Commission (IJC) St. Croix River Watershed Board, held June 29, was very disappointing to a coalition of 50 organizations. The coalition petitioned the IJC two years ago to open up the Grand Falls fishway to allow native alewives access to a majority of their historic spawning grounds but a decision has yet to be reached.
Passage of alewives in this international boundary river has been blocked since 1995 when a small lobby of smallmouth bass fishermen convinced the Maine State Legislature that alewives were causing a decline in the non-native bass populations. Despite the fact that this opinion defied all scientific advice, the State of Maine acted quickly to close the fishway at Grand Falls. Attempts to provide rational arguments to reverse this decision have failed.
Atlantic Salmon Federation Speaks Out [Read More]
Alewife Border Dispute and St Croix
Interesting article and alewife history video of ST. Croix. Presented by CBC Canada website.
Read Article and watch video
Melissa Laser – Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration
“Melissa – Missy to her family – loved visiting the Damariscotta Mills fishway. She would have wanted to help restore the ladder!
Now you can help the Ladder Restoration project.
Remember Melissa Read More!
18 – 0, Maine River Herring Plan Passes
The purpose of this sustainable fisheries management plan is to ensure that existing river herring resources within Maine continue to thrive and provide a source of forage for Maine’s fish and wildlife and provide commercial fishing opportunities in coastal communities.
Thank You All.
This has been a road filled with twist and turns and without supporters of the Alewife Harvesters Of Maine it would not have been possible.
Thank you All again.
Jeffrey Pierce, Executive Director and Founder
Maine ASMFC River Herring Sustainable Fishing Plan
The purpose of this sustainable fisheries management plan is to ensure that existing river herring resources within Maine continue to thrive and provide a source of forage for Maine’s fish and wildlife and provide commercial fishing opportunities in coastal communities.
The State of Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and municipalities that historically harvest river herring operate under cooperative river specific management plans that guide conservation and harvest of river herring resources within these municipalities. These plans promote and manage healthy commercial and non-commercial river herring resources where they occur within the state. Maine formalized mutual river herring management plan formats in 1950, though mutual management plans existed prior to this date.
Read More…..
This is decision time and why the Alewife Harvesters of Maine was created. The ASMFC Technical committee has passed this plan and has provided its recommendations to the Management Board to also pass the plan as is at the winter meeting.
The Meeting is on November 8th in Charleston, SC from 3pm to 6 pm. Jeffrey Prierce will attend. please make your comments to Jeffrey before that time.