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Dec.5, 2006
Project Coordinator Contact: Sandra Lary
sandra_lary@fws.gov 207-781-8364 x 19
Restoring alewives, American eel and sea lamprey in Somesville on Mount Desert Island
Two fishways in Somesville on Mount Desert Island, adjacent to Acadia National Park, have been rebuilt this year, with enthusiastic support from many local residents, community groups, and state and federal agencies. When all three phases of this restoration project are complete, diadromous (searun) fish passage will be restored throughout the Somes Pond-Long Pond watershed, providing access to more than one stream-mile and more than 1,000 acres of important lake habitat for alewives, sea lamprey and American eel.
According to Tom Squiers, Director of Maine Dept. of Marine Resource’s Stock Enhancement Program, “Historically, more than two hundred thousand adult sea-run alewives followed streams from Somes Sound through the mill pond to Somes Pond, Ripple Pond and on to Long Pond.” Alewives managed to negotiate a fishway leading past the 50 foot long dam separating Somes Sound from the mill pond, two more fishways located at small dams before Somes Pond, and one more fishway at the outlet to Long Pond. The dams, directly linked to Somesville’s industrial history and dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s, once supported a lumber mill, grist mill, woolen mill, and shingle mill. However, all of the fishways have deteriorated, so fish passage to the entire watershed has been seriously degraded, leading to precipitous drops in alewife, American eel and sea lamprey populations. David Lamon, Executive Director of the nearby Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary who has coordinated this ambitious restoration project, volunteered to count alewives at the first and biggest dam at Somes Sound for the past two years. “We only counted 360 alewives two years ago and 4,000 alewives last year…just a tiny vestige of what our watershed should support.”
In order to support the local fishing economy and to restore the biological vitality of the Somes Pond and Long Pond watershed, committed individuals and organizations on Mount Desert Island have joined with state and federal agency biologists and engineers, along with several contractors, to restore diadromous fish in the watershed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Gulf of Maine Coastal Program has provided significant technical support and helped raise $98,000 from its own Coastal Program’s funds, USFWS National Fish Passage Program, and the USFWS--National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Maine Habitat Restoration Partnership Grant for the project. Maine Dept. of Marine Resources biologists, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Region 5 Fish Passage Engineers, NOAA’s Habitat Restoration Partnership biologists, and Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment planners have also provided funding support and vital technical expertise.
The first phase of the fishway restoration project was completed this year, with repairs completed at two fishways. At the first dam located near the entrance to Somes Sound, concrete walls and wooden baffles were repaired on an existing denil fishway. At the third upstream fishway, special care was taken to maintain the historical integrity of the hand-built granite fish ladder while making modifications needed to pass fish. In restoring the fishway, all of the original granite stone was used, and the overall historic design was maintained.
Phase II restoration work is currently underway, which will focus on complex restoration work needed at the second upstream dam and relatively simple, but important fishway repairs at the Long Pond outlet dam. Repairing all four of the existing fishways will provide effective passage for native sea lamprey and alewives. The third phase of this project, yet to be initiated, promises to incorporate additional fishway modifications that will enhance passage for American eels. Throughout the project and after it is completed, biologists and local volunteers will continue to monitor fish runs to document restoration progress. In addition, wayside exhibits will be installed to build awareness, understanding and support for diadromous fish restoration.
“The decline of diadromous fish populations in Somesville is all-too-typical in Maine, where forgotten small dams and unmaintained fishways block passage,” commented Sandra Lary, Senior Biologist at USFWS Gulf of Maine Coastal Program. Restoring fish passage throughout the Gulf of Maine, in watersheds like the Somes Pond-Long Pond watershed holds promise to bring back robust fish populations, which are central to restoring a healthy web of life in Maine’s watersheds.
To learn more about the life cycle and natural history of alewives, eels and sea lamprey in Maine, check out the following information:
All About Maine Alewives
American eels in Maine
Sea lamprey