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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 A U G U S T 2 2 , 2 0 1 6 Kulik says the Howland natu- ral fi sh bypass, which connects the Piscataquis River with the main channel of the Penobscot, includes resting places for the weaker fi sh. He also notes that its design factored in seasonal variables such as water tem- perature that can impact the leaping strength of fi sh swimming upriver. Both Haberstock and Kulik take pride in what's been accomplished at Howland, a feeling shared by some 300 people who attended the dedica- tion ceremony. "I've worked on other fi sh pas- sage projects around the country," says Kulik. "In most other states, if there even is a ceremony, barely anyone would come to it. But most other states lack the way fi sh resources are woven into the culture of Maine, not just for the Penobscot Nation, but for the entire state. ere's an economic value to these fi sheries, not only for the towns along the river but also for the coastal fi shing communities [that use alewives as lobster bait]. It's just a tremendous project to be a part of." Providing access to key spawning areas Andrew Goode, vice president of the Atlantic Salmon Federation's pro- grams in the United States, says the Howland fi sh bypass is an important piece of the international eff ort to save the endangered Atlantic salmon. " is is a critical part of the proj- ect," he says. " e Howland Dam used to kill over 20% of the Atlantic salmon smolt run every year. ere also was enormous mortality of adult fi sh as well. So it was important to decommission this dam." Roughly one-third of Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot want to go up the Piscataquis, which enables them to reach prime spawning habitat in western Maine, he adds, mak- ing Howland an important juncture for spawning adults that now have unimpeded access to those upriver waters. Early fi sh counts compiled by the Maine Department of Marine Resources at Milford show 7,846 shad, 287 mature Atlantic salmon and 215 grilse (salmon spawning for the fi rst time), 1.26 million river herring, 1,149 striped bass and 3,833 sea lamprey within now-opened stretches of the river as of Aug. 8. Yet, even though ASF's mission is to protect the Atlantic salmon, Goode echoes Day and others in saying the Penobscot River's restoration is just as important for the other 10 native sea-run species benefi ting from open access to 1,000 miles of habitat that were largely inaccessible for most of the past 200 years. " ey all evolved together and depend on each other," he says, noting that more than 1.2 million river herring have been recorded so far this year at the Milford fi sh lift. "It was essentially zero there fi ve years ago." For John Banks, director of the Penobscot Nation's Department of Natural Resources, a snapshot taken last summer conveys well more than 1,000 words the impact of the restora- tion project on the river the tribe has lived on for more than 10,000 years. "I have a great photo of a young fellow who caught a striped bass on the river about a year ago," he says. "It had six alewives inside its stomach. at, to me, tells the whole story." Ja m e s M c Ca rt h y , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r writer, can be reached at jmcc arthy @ mainebiz.biz and @ Jame sMainebiz G R E AT E R B A N G O R F O C U S 207-989-3410 wsemerson.com You spoke. We listened. Simple and affordable checking for Maine businesses. mainesavings.com/bizwallet Bangor | Brewer | Corinth | Ellsworth | Hampden Jax Lab | Milo | North Vassalboro | Old Town Alan Haberstock, vice president of ecological services for Kleinschmidt Associates, speaks at the dedication of the Howland Natural Fish Bypass. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F K L E I N S C H M I D T A S S O C I AT E S

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