More than one million alewives climbing the Damariscotta Mills fish ladder
WMTW New 8 report about the Fish Ladder
WMTW New 8 report about the Fish Ladder
Due to changes in state policy, the fish ladder will be open to the public beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2. We are excited to share this year’s great fish run, which will last for at least another week and probably for two more weeks. To take advantage of this awesome opportunity to see Damariscotta Mills […]
This 5-minute video was taken at the Fish Ladder on May 29. Watch closely and you’ll see the alewives make their way from the lower pool to the higher.
The first small schools of alewives are in by the fish house and along the new walkway. As of 7am, they had not entered the fish ladder proper yet but the tide is going so its likely they’ll make a move into the fish ladder soon. The word is out that the fish are also […]
Cormorants fish in groups and, as such, they are lethal predators. They are catching fish in the bay, as are Osprey and Great Blue Herons. In the evenings we’ve heard fish flipping by the railroad trestle on several occasions. There is no doubt, alewives will be in the fish ladder soon, especially if these warm […]
Osprey have been sighted circling the bay and diving after fish. A few days ago, one came up with a smelt but more recently several osprey have brought up alewives! There are no big schools in the bay yet and none have entered the fish ladder but we expect they’ll be here soon. Sunshine and […]
We are sure having a cold April! Since alewife migration is triggered by water temperature, it seems likely that the fish will be a bit late in arriving! Osprey, herons, and egrets have returned, nests are active, and the wait for alewives is on! Construction between the fish house and the harvesting area continues. The […]
Each fall, the water is turned off in the fish ladder to protect the stone structure from the effects of freezing and thawing. Its a real sign of spring each year when April 1 comes around and the gates are opened to let water again flow through the beautiful new fish ladder. Smelts spawn in […]
During the past two decades, a cast of thousands has collaborated to bring millions of alewives back to Maine’s streams and rivers. Read the complete article by Philip Conkling in the April issue of Maine. magazine.