March 25, 2013 — Though reduced in numbers, the St. Croix River's alewives have a lot of friends.
At a legislative hearing Monday, speaker after speaker rose to support a bill that would open most of the fishways at most of the river's dams immediately to the small schooling fish, which have been blocked from most of the sprawling watershed since 1995.
Fishermen who catch lobsters, alewives and groundfish spoke in support of a full opening. They were joined by environmentalists, anglers and representatives of the Passamaquoddy tribal government, federal agencies and the Canadian government, which has sovereignty over half of the St. Croix watershed and controls a key border-spanning dam on the international river.
"It's long since time to make the change," said George Smith, retired longtime head of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, who previously supported the closure. "I respectfully and regretfully have concluded that we were wrong in 1995. I think full restoration as soon as possible is the right way to go."
Fishing guides from interior Washington County appeared isolated in opposing the restoration, fearing that alewives will harm smallmouth bass. None of the legislators on the Marine Resources Committee appeared to back their cause in the questions they asked during the six-hour hearing.
Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald