Being new to the Maine Coast, I enrolled in a wonderful program to learn more about my new home. Penobscot Bay Stewards is created by the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, each May new stewards travel to many sites in and around Penobscot bay to learn about the history, culture, environment of the bay.

This week we traveled to Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder to learn about the Alewive run.

What are Alewives?? I had never heard of them! The stewards learned how important Alewives are to the food chain and overall health of the ecosystem of the bay and beyond!

A member of the Herring family, Alewives migrate from the ocean each spring to spawn in lakes. Damariscotta has maintained a fish ladder to help them accomplish their journey in spite of dams that have powered mills since the early European settlements. A recent effort to completely restore the fish ladders has just been completed and the Alewives are running! WHAT A HOOT!

This weekend ( Memorial Day Weekend) they are celebrating with a

Fish Ladder Restoration Festival

If you happen to be in Maine for the long weekend be sure to put this on you MUST SEE list!