Maine department of marine resources (mdmr) was awarded $7785000 of 2024 congressional authorized funds submitted by maines senator collins through an interior and environment appropriations bill

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) a $7,785,000 project grant under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance Program (CFDA 15.664) to build a new state-of-the-art fish lift at the Woodland Dam site. This project aims to significantly improve upstream and downstream fish passage, restoring access to over 600 miles of historic sea-run fish habitat and over 60,000 acres of alewife habitat in the St. Croix River watershed. The new modern fishway has the potential to support the return of tens of millions of adult river herring annually, as well as populations of American shad, American eel, and sea lamprey. This project rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, and promotes resilient ecosystems and communities in a disadvantaged area. The period of performance for this grant runs from the award date of October 8, 2024 through the ultimate completion date of December 31, 2026.

Mdmr seeks to build a new state of the art fish lift at the woodland project (maine stream habitat viewer site ID D1876) significantly improving access to over 600 miles of historic sea run fish habitat and over 60000 acres of alewife habitat. This will provide spawning and rearing habitat to an estimated 14 million adult alewife. Mdmr seeks to modernize fish passage at woodland DAM a privately owned congressionally authorized project exempt from the federal power act. Baileyville maine where the project is located is a climate and economic justice screening tool disadvantaged community. The existing 1960S ERA fishway at this site is at imminent risk of failure is undersized and poorly designed limiting fish migrations and possibly precluding them if IT fails. A new modern fishway is required to realize the rivers production and ecosystem restoration potential. This project has the potential to produce the most significant river herring population in the united states and canada returning tens of millions of adults annually. The ST. Croix river is the sixth largest river in maine and extends internationally into new brunswick canada. The project will significantly improve both upstream and downstream fish passage for resident and anadromous fish. This project would open habitats that could annually produce over 150000 american shad millions of american eels and tens of thousands of native sea lamprey. This project rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species enhances watershed health and promotes resilient ecosystems and communities and improves economic vitality in the poorest and most fisheries dependent county in new england including the peskotomukati passamaquoddy people. The asmfc fishery management plans for american EEL and for american shad and river herring (alewife and blueback herring) identify barriers to migration as one of the highest priority threats to these species. Almost all the native fish species present in the watershed are listed as species of greatest conservation need in maines state wildlife action plan. Downstream species such as atlantic and shortnose sturgeon are listed as threatened and endangered under the endangered species act. River herring are listed by NOAA as a species of concern and USFWS considers them an at risk species and the focus of the regions diadromous fish at risk species team. Species that benefit from healthy runs of river herring include the important endangered species act (ESA) listed atlantic salmon which rely on large numbers of river herring to buffer against predation during migrations. Furthermore there is evidence that diadromous species including river herring may serve as a prey source for mature or maturing atlantic salmon in the nearshore environment.fish passage improvements are vital for achieving productive and sustainable fisheries and this project has the potential to create the largest river herring run in north america. Mdmr is working towards a 2025 construction date at woodland DAM and national oceanic and atmospheric administration fisheries program is currently the lead federal action agency. Principle partners include the passamaquoddy tribe national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) fisheries program U.S. Fish and wildlife service woodland pulp LLC and the nature conservancy. The projects period of performance date for this financial agreement ends december 31 2026.