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The Alewife Harvesters of Maine is a group of alewife harvesters, conservation commissioners, biologists, and concerned citizens who have joined together to conserve alewives, and to preserve the river-fishing heritage of Maine.
We do this by restoring fish passages to spawning grounds, cooperating with state and federal agencies, and educating the public and other stakeholders about alewives and their habitat. We are currently collaborating with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the DownEast Lobstermen’s Association, the Sea Grant for Maine, and the Sustainable Fisheries Coalition.
Harvesters provide data for Maine State Fisheries managers to create, implement, and modify the river management program. Each year, harvesters provide catch, by-catch, and environmental data critical to making this plan reflect the status of the fishery. In the 2008-2009 season, harvesters collected scale and sex data through the season in each run. The age and sex data provided vital information on the alewife population in Maine in an effort to meet the 2012 sustainable mandate set down by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
The Alewife Harvesters of Maine provides educational information to communities and other stakeholders. They maintain a presence at the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum. Several individual harvesters have taken the time to educate the public about the fishery, it’s ecological, and environmental impact. Currently the Alewife Harvesters of Maine is collaborating with the NRC of Maine to open the St. Croix Waterway to Alewives. We continue to cooperate with other conservation groups, such as the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, Dresden Town Conservation Commission, the Arrowsic Alewife Restoration Project, Environmental Defense Fund and the Center for Pond Restoration Project.
Maine has a long hist0ry of protecting this fishery resource. In 1741, “An Act to prevent the Destruction of the Fish Called Alewives and Other Fish” was enacted. It required that any entity that erected a dam across a stream or river “where salmon, shad, alewives, or other fish which usually pass up into natural ponds to cast their spawn” make an adequate fish passage around or through the dam and keep it open from April 1st to June 5th. The law further required that adequate water be provided to allow the out-passage of juveniles and adults.
Today, harvesters maintain fish passages to the spawning habitat. Individual harvesters clear the streams and brooks of any impeding debris. Towns and harvesters work with state and federal agencies to restore fish passages by replacing culverts and maintaining fish ladders. Some harvesters provide temporary fish ladders to ensure access to natural spawning lakes and ponds.
Without this local initiative and follow-through alewives would be deprived of access to habitats critical for their survival.