Maine Project
Passage of adult Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot River before and after dam removal
January 2005 - January 2022
Personnel
Participating Agencies
- NOAA
- NOAA Fisheries
- SSP Program
- ARRA
- NOAA FISHERIES
- CRU
- West Enfield Fund
The Penobscot River has experienced two main-stem dam removals and other engineering changes, including the installation of a fish lift at Milford Dam (the lowest dam in the system) with hopes of restoring Atlantic salmon. Efforts to restore these federally endangered fish will rely on safe and effective fish passage. We sought to use acoustic, radio telemetry and PIT tag technology are being used to characterize migration patterns and passage efficiency of adult Atlantic salmon. This work in the Penobscot River, Maine, necessitating effective collaboration with USFWS, NOAA, Penobsot Nation, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Brookfield Power, TNC and the Penobscot River Restoration Trust. Characterizing migration patterns and passage efficiency in the Penobscot River, Maine can inform restoration strategies into the future.
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Sigourney, D., Zydlewski, J., Hughes, E., Cox, O. (2015) Transport, dam passage and size selection of adult Atlantic Salmon in the Penobscot River, Maine. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 35:1164-1176 | Download | January 2015 |
| Maynard, G.A., Kinnison, M.T., and Zydlewski, J. (2017) Size Selection from Fishways and Potential Evolutionary Responses in a Threatened Atlantic Salmon Population. River Research and Applications. 2017;1–12 DOI: 10.1002/rra.3155 | Download | March 2017 |
| Maynard, G., Izzo, L., and Zydlewski, J. (2018) The fate of hatchery-spawned Atlantic Salmon kelts released into the Penobscot River, Maine. Fishery Bulletin 116:281-290. DOI: 10.7755/FB.116.3-4.6 | Download | October 2018 |
| Izzo, L., Maynard, G.A., and Zydlewski, J. (2016) Upstream movements of Atlantic Salmon in the lower Penobscot River, Maine following two dam removals and fish passage modifications. Marine and Coastal Fisheries, 8(1): 448-461. DOI: 10.1080/19425120.2016.1185063 | Download | July 2016 |
| Holbrook, C., J. Zydlewski, M. Kinnison, Gorsky, D., and S. Shephard (2009) Movements of pre-spawn adult Atlantic salmon near hydroelectric dams in the lower Penobscot River, Maine. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. | April 2009 |
| Gorsky, D., J. Trial, J. Zydlewski, J. McCleave (2009) The Effects of Smolt Stocking Strategies on Migratory Path Selection of Adult Atlantic Salmon in the Penobscot River, Maine. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:949-957. | Download | June 2009 |
| Theses and Dissertations | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Izzo, L. K. 2016. Exploring the threats of dams and ocean conditions: In-river movements and ocean growth of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from Maine's rivers. Weaver 2017. Ph.D. Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) as a functional link between marine and freshwater ecosystems. | August 2016 |
| Holbrook, C. 2007. MS Thesis: Behavior and survival of Migrating Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in the Penobscot River and Estuary Maine: Acoustic Telemetry Studies of Smolts and Adults. | March 2007 |