Taunton was once known as “herring town,” for the abundance of fish that ascended the Mill River each spring. Today, just a fraction of historic fish populations pass through the rivers each spring and the aging dams that impede their journey pose threats to public safety.
Late last week, Sen. John Kerry and Congressman Barney Frank called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide $500,000 in funding for The Nature Conservancy’s Mill River Habitat Restoration Project. In conjunction with a number of partners, the Conservancy is working to improve fish habitat throughout the Mill River system.
Removing the dam is a key part of the Mill River Habitat Restoration Project, which would reconnect 40 river miles — opening traditional migratory routes to American eels, alewife and blueback herring and restoring access to more than 500 acres of spawning habitat.
Read the complete opinion piece from Taunton Gazette.