Downeast Fisheries Trail
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    • Lobstering Firsts
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    • Alewives and Blueback Herring
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Spring is here, and that means fish — lots of fish

Spring is here, and that means the annual return of many things: flowers and birds; sunshine and garden words; foliage and flowers; and fish—lots of fish.

Check you local streams in the spring, the fish might be running!

The annual arrival of migratory fish to Maine’s coastal rivers, this Rite of Spring, makes this place special. Twelve species of migratory (sea-run or diadromous) fish are native to the Northeastern U.S., but Maine is the only place where all of them still exist in countable, and in some cases fishable, numbers. Thus Maine is the last refuge for wild Atlantic salmon, and hosts the largest remaining populations of sea-run brook trout, rainbow smelt, alewives, and blueback herring.

These last two are harvested by communities, sold mostly for lobster bait, with the profits going toward local schools and other municipal services. The alewife fishery has served as an incentive for towns to restore alewife waters by fixing fish ladders, removing defunct dams, and upgrading culverts—efforts that also benefit other fish and wildlife like bald eagles, osprey, and otters.

It’s hard to really comprehend the volume of fish that once filled Maine’s bays and rivers—seeing really is believing, and today the best way to grasp the magnitude is to visit a publicly accessible alewife run during the month of May. Here’s a list of such places along the Trail, along with celebrations scheduled to coincide with fish runs.

  1. Pierce’s Pond, Penobscot. The newest site on the Downeast Fisheries Trail, Pierce’s Pond has a brand new fishway with viewing access. (More information about Pierce’s Pond coming soon.)
  2. Somesville Mill Pond. Restoration of the Somes Pond fish run continues, led by the Somesville-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary.
  3. Cherryfield Cable Pool. This park on the Narraguagus River was once a world-famous fishing pool for Atlantic salmon, a species now listed as endangered. Salmon persist in the river, but anglers now fish for American shad from this same spot.
  4. Pleasant River Hatchery. Downeast Salmon Federation hosts the Annual Smelt Fry (on April 21 in 2018), one of many World Fish Migration Day events around the world.
  5. Peter Gray Hatchery. With its numerous lakes, the East Machias River watershed is prime alewife territory. Visit the wild salmon hatchery, and take a stroll along the river, where wildlife abound.

There’s no better time to check out your local river or stream. The fish are running or will be soon—go and find them!

Trail Sites

  • Abbe Museum
  • Bad Little Falls Park
  • Bar Harbor Town Park
  • Bar Harbor Town Pier
  • Beals Heritage Center
  • Bucksport Waterfront
  • Cable Pool Park
  • Carryingplace Cove
  • Cobscook Bay Resource Center
  • Cobscook Bay State Park
  • Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery
  • Deer Isle – Stonington Historical Society
  • Downeast Institute
  • Frazer Point
  • Frenchman Bay Overlook
  • Frenchman Bay Scenic Turnout
  • Gleason Cove Park
  • Gordon’s Wharf
  • Great Harbor Maritime Museum
  • Green Lake National Fish Hatchery
  • Henry Cove
  • Islesford Historical Museum
  • Jonesport Historical Society
  • Long Cove
  • Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries (formerly Penobscot East Resource Center)
  • Maine Coast Sardine History Museum
  • McCurdy’s Smokehouse
  • Milbridge Historical Museum
  • Milbridge Town Marina
  • Morong Cove
  • Mount Desert Oceanarium
  • Naskeag Point
  • Otter Cove
  • Penobscot Marine Museum
  • Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory & Fort Knox
  • Peter Gray Hatchery
  • Pleasant River Hatchery
  • Prospect Harbor
  • Quoddy Head State Park
  • Roosevelt-Campobello International Park
  • Shackford Head State Park
  • Somesville Mill Pond
  • Taunton Bay Gateway
  • Tidal Falls
  • Waponahki Museum & Resource Center

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The Downeast Fisheries Trail consists of 45 locations from Penobscot Bay, Maine, to Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick, that showcase active and historic fisheries heritage sites, such as fish hatcheries, aquaculture facilities, fishing harbors, clam flats, processing plants, historical societies, community centers, parks, and other related places. The Trail is an effort to raise awareness among residents and visitors of the importance of the region’s maritime heritage and the role of marine resources to the area’s economy. The Trail builds on these local resources to strengthen community life and the experience of visitors.

For a printed map-brochure of the Trail, please call 207.581.1435.

Download the web version of the map-brochure. (6.8 MB)

For more information about the Downeast Fisheries Trail, email or call 207.288.2944 x5834.

Downeast Fisheries Trail Brochure Map - Web Version

Downeast Fisheries Trail Brochure Map - Web Version

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