Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration

Welcome to historic Damariscotta Mills, Maine – home to one of Maine’s oldest and most productive alewife fisheries. The stone fish ladder that is the centerpiece of Damariscotta Mills was constructed in 1807 by the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle because, for nearly a century, mills blocked access for fish to the freshwater falls. In 2007, after two centuries of use, the fish ladder was in poor condition so a restoration project was initiated by a strong community group working with the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle and the Nobleboro Historical Society.

: FIsh Goods & Gear

: Help Us "Bridge the Gap!"

: Run with the Alewives

Restoration of the fish ladder has had a signficant positive impact on the health of the Damariscotta River alewife stocks. Alewives are an important part of the food chain and they contribute to the health of the marine environment and to the lakes and streams where the fish spawn. In the spring, a few harvested alewives are smoked as “people food” but most serve as a source of fresh bait for local lobstermen. The Towns of Newcastle and Nobleboro have harvested alewives since the 1700s and, by balancing conservation and economic goals, they have carefully tended the Damariscotta River alewife stocks. Today, all funds received for harvested alewives are spent to maintain and restore the fish ladder and harvesting area.

Upper pool from the alewives’ point of view. May, 2020

Fish Happenings

No Festival, but alewives and birds do not care

Yet again no festival this year, but we will be at the Fish Ladder on weekends to welcome visitors and, in other posts below this, we have announced a road race and a concert. Keep checking here for more information about our plans. The alewives run during May 1-June 15, but most reliably from Mother’s Day […]

Run with the Alewives!

What better way to celebrate the running alewives than with a 5K run? On the morning of Saturday May 27th 2023 at 9:00AM please join us for a healthy community run that includes cash prizes, professional timing and a gorgeous course along the Great Salt Bay!

2022 Fish Count

2022 was another banner year for alewives at Damariscotta Mills! The count of fish going into the lake to spawn was 1,103,346. Hooray! Another year with a count over 1 million….our fish ladder is really working well!

Help Us “Bridge the Gap!”

The viewing spot over the Fish Ladder never gets old, but the bridge has seen better days. Engineering studies are underway and we are asking you to partner with us to raise the funds needed to build a replacement. Click here for details.