PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE • September 14, 2021
Efforts are under way to restore Atlantic salmon populations in the Gulf of Maine, by removing dams, replacing culverts and restoring streams. John Catena, Northeast supervisor for the NOAA Restoration Center, said dams across the region have blocked Atlantic salmon's migration paths from the ocean to the river to spawn. This year, four local Maine projects are receiving $900,000 in funding from NOAA. Atlantic salmon are endangered, with roughly 1,000 in the Gulf of Maine, where there used to be more than 100,000. These kinds of projects also benefit species similar to Atlantic salmon, including river herring and American shad, which also have low populations. Federal infrastructure funding also may help improve thousands of dams and culverts throughout Maine.