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The Lloyd Davis Anadromous Fish Trust Alewife Enhancement Project |
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Just added! The Goose River Barrier and Habitat Survey |
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Alewife Enhancement Project The Amazing Alewife Barrier and Habitat Surveys Annual Fish Count Medomak Alewife Fishery History/Timeline
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ABOUT THE PROJECT The Medomak River Alewife Enhancement Project (AEP) is a local effort to develop and maintain a healthy alewife run that can serve as a forage base for the Medomak River and sustain a limited annual harvest. The project was begun in 1983 by the Lloyd Davis Anadromous Fish Trust, and has been supported in part by the Gulf of Maine Council and NOAA.
ANNUAL FISH COUNT The Medomak River AEP is conducting a multi-year study to assess the population of alewives currently utilizing the Medomak River ecosystem for spawning. Each May when the alewives begin their journey up the Medomak, a net is placed across the river with a small gate that can be opened or closed to let fish through. Volunteers work two-hour shifts counting alewives from the counting station on Mill Street in Waldoboro. The data gathered will be used to track changes in the alewife population and determine the health of the Medomak River alewife fishery.
THE AMAZING ALEWIFE
HISTORY OF ALEWIVES IN THE MEDOMAK The Medomak River once supported large runs of five commercially-important anadromous fish species, the most abundant of which was the alewife. The falls were renowned as an Abenaki fishing destination and earned the Medomak its name, which means "place of many alewives". Extensive damming of the river in the early 1800's, combined with overfishing and pollution from sawmills, resulted in severely reduced numbers of all anadromous fish species and eventual extirpation of Atlantic salmon and shad.
Although the alewife has persisted in the Medomak, their numbers have yet to approach those seen by early settlers. Recent efforts of the AEP have focused on understanding the population of the existing Medomak River alewife run and removing physical barriers to alewife passage created by the construction of dams, culverts, and other river modifications. In the summer of 2008 a habitat survey was conducted by Erin Spencer to identify barriers to alewife passage as well as important spawning habitat areas. This summer, Janet McMahon will continue this effort by surveying the Goose River, another important alewife run in the watershed. These surveys are especially important because they allow the Lloyd Davis Trust to focus their restoration efforts on the largest barriers to fish passage.
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Click here to see a video of the 2007 alewife run.
-Washington Pond |
2012 ALEWIFE RUN ON THE MEDOMAK
* 2012 ALEWIFE COUNT CALENDAR *
The 2012 alewife run is just around the corner! 2012 marks the 6th year of the annual alewife count, and once again we'll need a good group of volunteers to make it possible.
Who:
You! We'll need the most volunteers in mid to late May. If you'd like to take part in the 2012 alewife count, we welcome your help! Click here for a calendar of volunteer shifts.
For more information, or to sign up for a volunteer shift, send an email to Jackie at volmvlt@midcoast.com, or call 832-5570. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BARRIER AND HABITAT SURVEY
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The Alewife Project relies entirely on volunteers to conduct the annual fish count. This project is a huge undertaking, and we need lots of help to ensure that accurate data is gathered!
FISH COUNTERS:
Volunteer fish
counters work 2-hour shifts counting alewives from a platform below
the Mill St. bridge in Waldoboro. This is a great opportunity to
witness the spring alewife run and help out with a really neat
project!
CHECK OUT THESE LINKS ON ALEWIVES: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/alewife/index.htm http://www.fws.gov/northeast/gulfofmaine/downloads/fact_sheets/alewife%20fact%20sheet.pdf
CLICK HERE FOR A MEDOMAK RIVER ALEWIFE FISHERY TIMELINE
ARTICLES ON THE LLOYD DAVIS TRUST http://freepressonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=45&SubSectionID=67&ArticleID=6471&TM=9094.131
http://knox.villagesoup.com/place/story/record-hopeful-in-medomak-river-alewife-count/390970
The
fish count volunteer schedule
is now online!
Volunteers counters are critical to the success of the Alewife Project.
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A
barrier and habitat survey of the Goose River was recently completed
by local ecologist Janet McMahon. The survey details any and
all barriers to alewife along the Goose River. This is the
second barrier and habitat survey that the Lloyd Davis Trust has had
done in the Medomak watershed. These surveys allow the trust
to focus their efforts on key sections of the river, and when the
time comes for grant writing, these surveys are excellent additions
to any grant application. To view the surveys, see the links
on the top of this page. 