John Burrows, Executive Director of US Operations, Reports:
Recently, a remarkable spectacle unfolded in Cobbossee Stream, a tributary of the Kennebec, when hundreds of Atlantic sturgeon embarked on their spawning journey. This remarkable event can be traced back to a pivotal decision made in 1999—the removal of the Edwards Dam.
The Edwards Dam had long served as a significant barrier for sturgeon populations, inhibiting their migratory and spawning patterns. The decision to dismantle it in 1999 proved to be a crucial turning point for both Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon populations in the Kennebec and other Maine rivers.
Both species, protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), found the Kennebec and Merrymeeting Bay complex to be a safe haven, resulting in the only substantial spawning populations in Maine. The river’s ecological recovery post-dam removal allowed for the growth and expansion of these endangered species.
A small crowd gathered Friday afternoon to watch Atlantic sturgeon spawning under a bridge in downtown Gardiner I Kevin Miller / Maine PublicSturgeon from the Kennebec have since ventured up and down the coast, leading to increased populations in the Penobscot and in estuaries or bays of other rivers in the Gulf of Maine. The migratory patterns and reproductive success of these marine giants demonstrate the ecosystem’s resilience and adaptability.
More. The Facebook video links there are better imagery.
This brought to mind a sturgeon researcher I knew back when. I fished in NY with Waldman in Montauk, NY. He was into restoration work and I see he is still at it. He wrote some books as well.
I liked this one. I fed Waldman good surf stories such as ones like William Humphrey’s Great Point, maybe the best surf fishing story ever written. Humphrey was picked for Steve’s book on books.