Federal Salmon Designation Extended to Maine’s Larger Rivers

[Kype]

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/108499.html

Federal Salmon Designation Extended to Maine’s Larger Rivers
6/16/09
By Kevin Miller

AUGUSTA, Maine — Federal officials announced Monday that they plan to add Atlantic salmon populations in the Penobscot, Kennebec and Androscoggin rivers to the Endangered Species List.

The decision significantly expands the previous “endangered” designation for Gulf of Maine salmon to include much of the watersheds of the state’s three largest and most heavily industrialized rivers. Salmon reared at two federal fish hatcheries also will be protected beginning next month.

BDN

[pork]

I was going to make a long-weekend jaunt to the Penobscot for the month-long open season last month, but the Feds managed to kill the trip. I don't really get it...the rules are so strict there anyways and, from what I hear, fish are so tough to catch, that I don't see how a month-long, catch and release, barbless hook, no removing fish from water, spring season really would have that much of an adverse effect on the population.


“I really fear this may be the end as we know it for salmon clubs because there is no more hope for fishing for many of the members in their lifetimes,” Foster said.

sad

[Kype]

Pork

I agree with you! I was going to fish it this season just to show support for the salmon and the salmon fishermen that have worked so hard in the past to help Atlantic salmon.

Pork, hold on to your hat! ESA listing means NO MORE STOCKING OF ALIAN TROUT AND IN THE CASE OF THE WEST BRANCH OF THE PENOBSCOT RIVER, HISTORICALY THERE WERE NO LL ATLANTIC SALMON. BY! BY! IT IS ALL OVER! THANK YOU T.U. AND COMPANY!!!!!!!!!

Pork, What do you think this means for the Androscoggin River in New Hampshire and the brown and rainbow trout stocking there?
We in Vermont and you in Connecticut may well see an influx of big river trout anglers headed to our rivers in the comming seasons. ISN'T THAT NICE! DO YOU NEED MORE ANGLERS ON THE FARMINGTON?

Here is an on going thread that details the history of the listing over several years.
http://www.neoutdoorvoice.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1680

Bobby

[Kype]

Pork or anyone interested in having some fun take a look at this!!!!!!!!
Check the comments!!!!! By the way I haven’t made comment there yet! It is just too funny!

http://www.flyrodreel.com/node/12435

Ted Williams has for a number of years fished the Kennebec River for alien trout and has been displayed in a photo of him standing along side a drift boat operated by The Kennebec River Outfitters the picture was posted for years on the KYO web site! Now he denies fishing for alien trout on the Kennebec River! I find it so very entertaining!
http://www.kennebecriveroutfitters.com/Images/PeoplePics/Webready/williams_townsend_lg.jpg

Then this in 2009!

"I have a day in June on the K with Ted Williams and Bill Townsend, a day in May on the K with ChrisM from Fly Fish America, a few days in July with Tom Ames, maybe a day in July with Tom Ackerman and his son, a couple of days in June on the K with BobD from Aardvark, and a few days on the Andro in May with my old pal JV..... "

http://www.kennebecriveroutfitters.com/kro/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3344

I often wonder just how long his nose will grow!!!!!!!!


Just for the record I support the restoration of Atlantic salmon. I would have preferred a Threatened designation but if ESA is best then do it! That means the alien trout and non-historically indigenous fish must go in these massive watersheds as was done in the Down East River watersheds of Maine.
THIS IS JUST TOO FUNNY! BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU ASK FOR YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT!

Bobby

[aljack]

You would have thought that they would have waited until they at least took a dam or two down before making such a drastic step; at least give the appearance that natural spawning could possibly take place rather than the hatchery factory stocking that has taken place for ... how many decades now?

[Kype]

aljack

I have seen in print that Maine has been stocking Atlantic salmon for 100 years but that was a few years back so perhaps it is more than 100 years now.
I wonder how long it will be before the Saco, Merrimac and Connecticut River systems are included in the ESA listing.

Bobby

[aljack]

To estimate if restoration can be successful, the reason for their demise has to be made clear. Dams? Studies have shown that salmon having to have to pass 2 or 3 dams have nearly 0 % chance of any substantial spawning. Loss of breeding habitats? Those rivers where the paper companies clear cutted the forests around the cooling waters of the feeder streams have to be replanted. The feds have to make sure that this practice is no longer allowed and enforced. Ocean survival? What really happens when they migrate to sea? How many people knew and said (and did) nothing while the fishermen feasted off of Greenland? All 3 issues involve people and politics; people are greedy and politics have rarely been clean.

IMO - the reason for the loss of this great fish is the greed and politics involved with those 3 issues. It's still greed and politics that are making the policy today. There's no way the 3 big rivers should be under the ESA guidelines when there is no way salmon can reproduce in those waters. The suitable habitat for them should have already been in place before determining if the ESA designation was really necessary. What's really going on here is a powerplay for control of the rivers' fisheries. Public outcry will cut the megamillions being spent long before any successful restoration has taken place. Hopefully, maybe one or some of the small rivers regain a run. The winners will be TU or some other group who will dictate what's in the waters and who can fish for them. Kind of like a much larger scale version of how the "recreational rafters" screwed the fishermen on the Deerfield River.

But perhaps the problem is the ocean's environment - has it become too polluted? That should be worth a several million dollar study or two.

[Kype]

Man! You have hit some very real points hard. Good job assessing the situation. In the case of the Kennebec River it is going to be a bass river with a spring and fall stocking of dink brook trout and that is it until the Mainers start stocking pike and musky in it and then…………… I am in favor of Atlantic salmon but this is poorly planned and lacks sensitivity to the local human population situation. If it had been designated Threatened wood have not lost the public support needed. It is a huge land grab for the re-creation of the Eastern Wilderness (Act).
Read Ted Williams rant and you will be in for a treat if you have not done it yet. See my links in previous posts.

Bobby

[aljack]

I'm in favor of the Atlantic Salmon. Alot of sportsmen were 20-30 years ago when they were raising the alarms about what was happening to the natural run rivers' salmon. I'm afraid that what's happening here is the equalivant of giving a heart transplant to someone who has already expired due to heart failure.

[Emily]

I think it's important to acknowledge the Salmon Anglers Bobby, as well, the Salmon Clubs. However, with all due respect, they are not, nor have they ever been the only individuals responsible for the work and positive outcome to date, nor is their loss any more deeply felt than many who have contributed time and a great deal of funding, of which I have been one. I think the facts here are far more important for moving forward now, than rhetoric.

Published on June 16, 2009 from WFN (World Fishing Network)

"Atlantic salmon. (Credit: NOAA)NOAA's Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today extended Endangered Species Act protection to more Atlantic salmon by adding fish in the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Androscoggin rivers and their tributaries to the endangered Gulf of Maine population first listed in 2000.

The decision is part of the ongoing effort to recover the imperiled fish, which once returned by the hundreds of thousands to most major rivers along the Northeastern U.S. and now returns in small numbers only to rivers in Maine.

"Legend has it you could once walk across these rivers on the backs of salmon," said FWS Acting Director Rowan Gould. "Unfortunately, in most years we are able to count barely 1,000 fish returning to the Penobscot and fewer than a hundred in the other two rivers. If we are ever going to recover this iconic species so that future generations can witness the teeming runs that awed past generations, we need to protect it now throughout the Gulf of Maine."

Endangered status under the ESA will now apply to all anadromous (sea-run) Atlantic salmon whose freshwater range covers the watersheds from the Androscoggin River northward along the Maine coast to the Dennys River, an area which includes the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers. It also applies wherever these fish occur in these rivers' estuaries and marine environment. Hatchery fish used to supplement these natural populations are also included under this rule. Land locked salmon and salmon raised in hatcheries for aquaculture are not included in the listed population.

Listed species receive the full protection of the Endangered Species Act, including a prohibition against take. Take is defined to include harass, harm, pursue, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect.

The listing means that before federal support or authorization is provided for any activity that may affect the fish, it would need to be reviewed by federal authorities to ensure that it doesn't jeopardize the continued existence of the species or adversely modify its critical habitat. For instance, operators of hydro-electric dam facilities on the rivers or tributaries will need to consult with the agencies to ensure they are not in violation of the law. Others who would need to consult are those seeking federal permits for discharges into these waterways and those seeking permits for dredging or in-water work related to bridge construction.

"We will work closely with the state and industries to see that economic activities on rivers are affected as little as possible while we help ensure the salmon have the quality and quantity of habitat that allows them to recover and become a healthy and viable population," said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.

In 2000, NOAA and FWS listed as endangered all naturally reproducing wild Atlantic salmon, as well as river-specific hatchery populations returning to small coastal Maine rivers and their tributaries. As a group, these were called the Gulf of Maine population. A biological review team composed of federal and state agency biologists and a biologist from the Penobscot Indian Nation has since showed that salmon in the Androscoggin, Penobscot, and Kennebec rivers are also part of the same Gulf of Maine population. Today's action adds them to the population originally listed in 2000.

The state of Maine unsuccessfully challenged the 2000 listing claiming that there was no "species" eligible for protection under the Endangered Species Act due to the long history of stocking in Maine waters. The district court held that the services were correct in their determination.

In addition, the National Research Council was charged with examining available scientific information on the status of Atlantic salmon populations in Maine. Factors evaluated included the nature and discreteness of salmon populations in Maine rivers. The council published an interim report in 2002 on the genetic status of Atlantic Salmon in Maine, concluding that North American Atlantic salmon are clearly distinct genetically from European salmon. They also stated that despite the extensive additions of nonnative hatchery and aquaculture genotypes to Maine's rivers, the evidence is "surprisingly strong" that the wild salmon in Maine are genetically distinct from Canadian salmon. This supported the scientific foundation of the services' 2000 listing.

The fish's critical habitat - the area needed to support the fish population's survival and recovery - is contained in about 12,000 miles of river, stream and estuary habitat and about 300 square miles of lake habitat in Maine. This is the first time critical habitat has been determined for endangered Atlantic salmon.

In 2008, approximately 2,300 adult fish from the newly listed endangered population returned to spawn. This is an increase over recent years, but less than 10 percent of the number required before spawning stocks are thought to be in good condition.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the oceans to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources."

http://www.wfn.tv/gogreen/blog.php?blog=2698

Regards all,

Emily
Wiredfwcmaine.com

[Kype]

Emily

How nice of you to visit!
Thank you for your historical support of Atlantic salmon restoration.
Thank you for your contribution to this discussion.

Sincerely,

Bobby

[Kype]

Here is some interesting stuff sort of related to the ESA listing of Atlantic salmon. This is exciting stuff Emily don't you think?

Bobby

2009 Connecticut River Migratory Fish
<BR>
Last updated Thursday, June 18, 2009
<BR
Total fish counts as of Wednesday, June 17, 2009
<BR
American Shad 157158
Atlantic Salmon 69
ATS, Released, Tagged 9
ATS, Released, Untagged 1
Blueback Herring 39
Gizzard Shad 55
Juvenile American Eel 2447
Sea Lamprey 21250
Striped Bass 477
specie
The total number of Atlantic salmon returns listed above includes the number released.
spac
Totals by Dam
spac
River Dam Species Returns
Salmon River Leesville Atlantic Salmon 2
Farmington River Rainbow American Shad 37
Atlantic Salmon 11
Juvenile American Eel 39
Sea Lamprey 1765
Striped Bass 1
Westfield River Springfield Project American Shad 1355
Atlantic Salmon 1
Juvenile American Eel 6
Sea Lamprey 534
Connecticut River Holyoke American Shad 155766
Atlantic Salmon 55
ATS, Released, Tagged 9
ATS, Released, Untagged 1
Blueback Herring 39
Gizzard Shad 55
Juvenile American Eel 2402
Sea Lamprey 18951
Striped Bass 476
As of 6/10/09 Gatehouse American Shad 2874
ATS, Released 5
Sea Lamprey 7237
As of 6/17/09 Vernon American Shad 17
ATS, Released 7
Sea Lamprey 1531
First Previous Next Last


spac
River Dam Species Returns
West River
As of 6/17/09 Townshend ATS, Released 1
Connecticut River
As of 6/17/09 Bellows Falls ATS, Released 4
Sea Lamprey 101
As of 6/12/09 Wilder ATS, Released 1
spac
Please note that these fish counts are preliminary, and do not represent all returns. The river temp at Holyoke yesterday was 18.5 degrees Celsius, 65.3 degrees Fahrenheit and the river flow today is approximately 14,700 cubic feet per second. Holyoke lifted 313 American shad yesterday.

[pork]

What the heck is a "grool"?

[Downeaster]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=grool

[pork]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=grool


"Grool" is being used as a noun in this case.

[Kype]

Pork

It is intended to disparage those anglers in New England especially a group of Maine guys who do not agree with Ted on every issue or with his buddy at the Kennebec River Outfitters. In Northern New England there is a battle occurring over fisheries management. Ted likes to apply a label to his enemies so that issues are lost, his opposition demonized and he can come off as the good guy. It is an old political tactic from the book of dirty tricks. Much of this stems from what I and others see as the miss management of Maine Atlantic salmon rivers and the abuse of ESA listing. Anyone can see that river specific management is not working to restore Atlantic salmon in Maine Rivers. Just check the returns of Downeast Rivers over the years. There is an in breading program in place that guaranties a great cost, ensures slow progress if any at all in the restoration of Atlantic salmon.
Take a look at the Connecticut River returns I have posted. The run of salmon is about done for 2009 and there isn’t 100 salmon returned!
I know guys down there talk about Farmington brown trout eating the salmon parr but they didn’t eat them all! We keep doing the same thing over and over again with failure. Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Actual it would be smart on your part to say nothing of your suspicion, and assumptions based on angling observation that the browns are eating salmon parr. This is why. First the Downeast Rivers were listed and all stocking of exotics, rainbow and brown trout are not permitted under ESA listing. Now the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Androscoggin Rivers have been placed under the umbrella of ESA listing and with it the stocking of non native fish including brown and rainbow trout and in some cases land locked Atlantic salmon, must be stopped. My understanding is that the brown trout stocking of the Kennebec has already been stopped this year.

Incrementally the ESA listing is moving south and west. There is a belief that a few salmon in the Kennebec River tributary, Bond Brook kept alive the native strain of Kennebec River Atlantic salmon and there for it is justified to list the Kennebec under ESA. The Androscoggin River which joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay was also added but to my knowledge there is no remnant population of Atlantic salmon associated with the Androscoggin River. It historically was and Atlantic salmon river but it is a stretch to include the Androscoggin River in this listing when it is essentially no more an Atlantic salmon river today than as is the Farmington or Salmon Rivers.
“River Dam Species Returns
Salmon River Leesville Atlantic Salmon 2
Farmington River Rainbow American Shad 37
Atlantic Salmon 11

If the Fed could change the designation of Downeast rivers from “River Specific” designation to “The Gulf of Maine” designation to include the Penobscot, Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers then WHAT THE HECK WHY NOT INCLUDE THEM ALL? That means two of your beloved exotic trout streams and all of the rivers and streams entering the Saco, Merrimack, and Connecticut Rivers will be off limits to exotic trout. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t care about Atlantic salmon and would rather see them lost from our river and replaced with exotic hatchery trout parks at all. If I knew there would be good runs of Atlantic salmon in the Connecticut River I WOULD SACRIFICE THE FARMINGTON AND SALMON RIVER EXOTIC TROUT STOCKING IN a HEART BEAT! After all it isn’t in my back yard; it is your back yard so why should I care; if you get my drift. Slowly and incrementally what is a failed approach to Atlantic salmon restoration is moving to your back yard and mine. If I knew we would have Atlantic salmon in my home water here in Vermont I would not be concerned about loosing our wild rainbow trout. I have supported the restoration all along; but it has failed us and now the Atlantic salmon perhaps are being used for environmental goals other than their restoration. There is something fishy about the entire thing. A listing of “Threatened” made far more since. There are others, read Emilie’s posts, who do not share a fisherman’s perspective regarding ESA listing of Atlantic salmon and the impact it will have on our lives.

Emily has stated in this thread her perspective of the listing.

” I think it's important to acknowledge the Salmon Anglers Bobby, as well, the Salmon Clubs. However, with all due respect, they are not, nor have they ever been the only individuals responsible for the work and positive outcome to date, nor is their loss any more deeply felt than many who have contributed time and a great deal of funding, of which I have been one. I think the facts here are far more important for moving forward now, than rhetoric.”

To sum this statement up Atlantic salmon are not the sole possession of anglers, so shut up Bobby, get over it and get out of the way. That is the thinking of a number of new comers to the table who believe the present management approach is working. Is it really?
If you don’t know the Watts brothers and how they have given Maine ESA listing of Atlantic salmon you need to check this out.

http://www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org/Cybrary/ESA/20080516CommonDreamsLawsuit.pdf

Then this isn’t your back yard. Hell it is a Maine thing so who gives a crap about a bunch of Mainers? If they don’t like it they can move the heck out of Maine. You can go to the Farmington River hatchery trout park and fish for exotics. Who would ever want to stop that? It will never happen in Connecticut and it might not, given the political and financial clout of the state of Connecticut. You guys don’t have any environmental progressives in Connecticut so don’t bother reading any of this it is so much bla bbla about nothing.


Bobby

[aljack]

Bobby - good post. Sadly, I think at least 90% of the folks who read it won't have any idea of what is going on in Maine.
.......Kennebec River Atlantic salmon ..... cut the crap.
Besides, it's the "Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon". All the Maine rivers salmon are all genetically the same. That's what "their" studies tells us.

"Since the eighteenth century, Atlantic salmon populations have declined precipitously throughout most of their range, both from severe water pollution and from dams blocking access to spawning grounds."

It's odd how that article doesn't mention the clear cutting deforestation practices of the largest landowners, the paper companies, of having any effect. It's odd what biologists can't see.

I won't be around, but it will be interesting to see what real estate transactions take place over the next decade or two around these Maine rivers. I wonder if any of the money the "Emily's" fund will be involved.

[pork]

Bobby,

I really am not that well studied on the state of salmon restoration in Maine, but I appreciate the info and the links, as I would like to learn more.

As far as restoration in CT goes, I'd definitely be willing to sacrifice an "alien" trout stream or two for the cause. We all know the Farmington isn't going to happen, although it might be the best suited to the restoration. Besides, in its current state, it's probably a better "alien" trout stream than it could ever be as a salmon river.

The Salmon is another story...as much as I enjoy fishing it, I would gladly sacrifice the browns and rainbows on that stream if salmon restoration would (eventually) improve to the point of natural reproduction. I'm afraid there's not enough water there anymore to make that a possibility, however.


As far as the restoration in CT goes, I think aljack summed it up best when he said "it's like giving a heart transplant to someone who has already expired due to heart failure" (even if he wasn't necessarily referring to CT when he said that).

I would be happy enough to only have to go to Maine to fish for 'em, however. That's a lot shorter of a commute for me than New Brunswick or Quebec.

[aljack]

Pork - IF the Maine restoration is successful (and there is a pot of gold at the end of rainbows), the trip maybe shorter than to Canada, but I bet you it will be just as expensive. If you're over 50 years old, forget about it.

[Kype]

Guys

You bring up good points. I am dedicated to Atlantic salmon restoration however it is difficult to support failure. The ESA listing has soured the long time support which the salmon clubs and salmon anglers of Maine have given the Atlantic salmon and rivers of Maine. The listing was subsequent to a law suit filed by the Watts brothers who should get considerable credit for the ESA listing. These guys are not serious fisherman at all but self declared Progressive Environmentalists. See the link:
http://www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay....amsLawsuit.pdf

One of the Watts brothers in his madness took a pike from a kid. The pike was caught in a pond taken home by the kid and his father. Along comes Watts and he takes the pike which was still alive. Watts runs with the pike to the Kennebec River which was a short distance away and he attempts to revive the pike and release it. The pike is an alien species to the Kennebec. This was bucket biology at its best! All together illegal! People are trying to keep the spread of invasive species under control and one of the guys responsible for ESA listing of Atlantic salmon tried to release a Northern Pike into the very “Atlantic salmon” river he is suppose to be devoted to! Tell me there isn’t something very wrong in Maine! The ASF didn’t initiate ESA listing of Atlantic salmon, the salmon clubs didn’t initiate then ESA listing. The non profits, correct me if I am wrong signed on after the fact. It was the non angling environmentalists that started this. Then along comes support for ESA Listing by Fly Rod & Reel through Ted Williams’ blog. What would have been wrong with a Threatened designation? As a fly fishing magazine I would think a Threatened designation would be both in the interest of Atlantic salmon and in the interest of the sport of fly fishing. When I bring things of this nature to Ted’s attention his response is an accusation that I have more interest in keeping a bend in my fly rod than protecting native species to paraphrase his comments. Well I do believe someone should be looking out for the sport as well as the native species and that certainly isn’t Ted.

By the way my calling the Farmington a hatchery trout park is simply to get people to think. I believe that it is a wonderfully managed fly fishing opportunity in a densely populated state. I enjoy fishing it and would do it again.

Unless Atlantic salmon restoration can demonstrate progress through increasing returns; NO, trading quality exotic fisheries like the Farmington and Salmon or predominately wild rainbow and brown trout fisheries here in Vermont for salmon restoration failure is not expectable to me.

Bobby

P.S. Check this out from Emily's site.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/108577.html

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/109032.html

http://us6.mainehost.net/~wiredfwc/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=125&sid=695fad039d1ac12333ab0b4b852f3aff

[Eric L]

Bobby,

Just to clarify 1 point: The Feds have designated the Gulf of Maine fish in Maine as a distinct population segment of Atlantic salmon. That is they are considered to have a unique genetic component that has never been lost and is adaptive to their specific environment. Whether one agrees with this assessment is moot. The Feds are treating these rivers as one populastion unit.

The Feds consider salmon that historically spawned in rivers south of the Gulf of Maine to be 1 or 2 (?) additional distinct population segments. However, since the fish in the Merrimack and the Southern New England DPS became extinct reintroduced salmon populations in these rivers are NOT covered by the ESA. In other words, the Feds cannot dictate management decisions for the Farmington or Salmon rivers via ESA because salmon in those drainages are not native Southern New England salmon.

Regards,

Eric

[Downeaster]

Eric, at one time the 3 rivers that were just listed were considered to have had the salmon in them go extinct. The feds changed their minds about that, and will probably do the same once they discover a group of strays that have spawned successfully or whatever else they can find to sell the idea to the general public.

[Kype]

Eric L

By the standards that exist today you are absolutely correct. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how things go in the near future things change. ESA has become a political tool and science twisted, manipulated, misused and abused by people to achieve their goals. Think Ivory Billed Woodpecker! If we were going to have runs of Atlantic salmon returning to the Connecticut River system in numbers I would say what the heck a salmon is a salmon and they are all American salmon now unique to the Connecticut River watershed and for the over all protection of American salmon it is best to include them under the current protection of ESA; make an exception for the over all good of Atlantic salmon. How noble!
Remember ESA is only a law which can come up for review before Congress. Some want to end it others want to expand it. Remember the Androscoggin does not have a Bond Brook to use as a tool to grasp the ESA listing but it is now included isn’t it?

I am in support of Atlantic salmon restoration but look at what has just happened in Maine. Be aware of the politics surrounding the listing and be vigilant is all I really am saying in this post. I am not willing to watch Atlantic salmon, which a dearly love, exploited yet again and not be recovered. I believe in ESA but I am discouraged by misuse and abuse of it.

Bobby