We’re sharing stories from our biologists and partners striving to restore the river for Atlantic salmon and other fish and ensuring it continues to provide benefits for the people of Maine. Today you’re hearing from Dan Kircheis from National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA Fisheries. Dan grew up near the river and shares a special connection to it.
Artwork on the Veazie Dam Breaching Poster from the Penobscot River Restoration Trust.
This video is part of our ongoing celebration of the second dam removal in Maine’s Penobscot River restoration project! Last summer, Great Works Dam in Old Town and Bradley was taken down. On Monday, July 22, a community event kicked off the beginning of the removal of Veazie Dam, the closest dam blocking fish on the Penobscot from the ocean.
The lower river will flow freely from Milford to the sea, allowing endangered shortnose sturgeon, threatened Atlantic sturgeon, rainbow smelt, tomcod, and striped bass access to 100 percent of their historic habitat. Opening up the lower river will be a huge step forward in realizing the project’s goal to restore self-sustaining runs of all sea-run fisheries in the watershed. Learn more about the effort.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region 