News from the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF)
Fifty organizations from the United States and Canada are calling upon the International Joint Commission (IJC) to require that the St. Croix River, which forms the border between New Brunswick and Maine, be opened for passage of alewives (river herring). ASF, Maine Rivers, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine are leading the campaign. This action was taken because Maine state law since 1995 has blocked upstream passage past the Grand Falls dam because a group of inland fishing guides mistakenly believes that alewives pose a threat to smallmouth bass, a non-native fish. All efforts to amend the prohibition have been blocked by Maine lawmakers despite the fact that scientific studies show that alewives and smallmouth bass co-exist in bodies of water from Canada to North Carolina.
The CBC Television program, “Land and Sea”, covered this significant issue on Sunday, February 20. To view this program entitled “Alewives: a Border Dispute”, click here:
http://www.asf.ca/news.php?id=644
To keep track of breaking news on wild Atlantic salmon, use the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s presence on Facebook. Log in, search for Atlantic Salmon Federation, and click “Like”.