Sebasticook alewives are hindering cleanup

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Over the past several weeks, an old debate has been renewed in the St. Croix River watershed.

The perceived problem: Alewives, a small fish that would, if allowed to do so, swim upstream and spawn in lakes and ponds.

That debate has been covered extensively in these pages, and I won’t belabor the point – or the legislative compromises that were reached – here.

Today, it’s time to hear another voice … one far removed from the Down East controversy.

I received an e-mail from Maxine Pare, the president of the Sebasticook Lake Association, who said she had some information for people to consider.

I tend to believe returning our rivers and streams to as natural a state as possible is a sound ecological decision, and will pay dividends in the long run.

There are others who make convincing points to the contrary. You may decide that Pare’s opinion is one of those.

First, a little background.

Sebasticook Lake is a 4,288-acre impoundment located in Newport. According to previous BDN stories, state officials marked the potential return of alewives to the lake in 2003, when a fishway at North Street Dam was opened. Opening fishways at other downstream dams was under discussion at the time.

The 2003 story said full restoration of the Sebasticook River run of alewives could provide access to 4.5 million alewives.

Since 2003, alewives have returned to Sebasticook Lake, and some folks are concerned about the ecological impact they’ve had.

Pare detailed her concerns, and offered a warning to others. Here’s some of what she had to say:

“As the president of the Sebasticook Lake Association and someone who monitors the water quality, I can tell you that since the fish ladder has been in place in our lake and alewives invited into the lake four years ago, our water quality has suffered greatly,” Pare wrote.

“These little fish multiply at a rapid rate, which requires huge amounts of food. Since one of the items these little fish eat are zooplankton, the zooplankton population is diminished. The zooplankton, in turn, eat algae, which has been the scourge of our lake since the late 60s and early 70s,” she wrote. “Our lake association has fought long and hard to get the lake cleaned up and the water quality improved, and we have seen 30 years of hard work nearly reversed in response to what we perceive is the alewives.

“I would strongly recommend that the biologists studying the Woodland, Great Falls and St. Croix areas think long and hard before opening the waterways to alewives. The fishing guides are not all wet when they argue against alewives in their waterways,” Pare wrote.

“We in Newport continue to monitor our lake for increased phosphorus levels, decreased dissolved oxygen and decreased numbers of zooplankton and are prepared to make a recommendation to the town manager to keep the fish ladder closed until later in the spring or early summer, in the hope of avoiding the same horrors we endured and our lake suffered last summer,” Pare concluded.

Twig ID hike postponed

In a previous column I let you know about an interesting event planned by the Friends of Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge.

If you thought you missed the annual twig ID hike, think again: It has actually been postponed twice, and will not take place until April 5.

The twig ID hike will be led by Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife biologists Lee Kantar and Danielle D’Auria.

Many Mainers can tell you exactly what kind of tree you’re looking at during the summer months, when there are telltale leaves to examine.

During the winter, it gets more difficult … but not impossible, Kantar and D’Auria will tell you.

The duo will show attendees how to check for a few simple characteristics that will allow them to distinguish between all the major trees and shrubs of our area.

The hike will take about three hours, and will cover two to three miles at a slow pace. Snowshoes or winter boots may be needed, and handouts will be provided.

Hikers will meet at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service office at 1168 Main Street in Old Town at 9 a.m., and will carpool to the trail.

For more information, contact Jan Beckett at 991-1645, 827-0227, or e-mail her at riverladyjan@yahoo.com.

Antler hunt on tap

If twigs aren’t your thing, there’s another outdoor option for April 5. The Bangor Land Trust will host an antler hunt with retired biologist Jerry Longcore from 10 a.m. until noon.

Hikers will meet at the Huber Resources parking lot across the street from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service office in Old Town.

Participants will head into the woods, looking for the antlers shed by deer after last fall’s breeding season.

Looking for open water

On Saturday I’ll herald the (rumored) arrival of open-water fishing season, which begins Tuesday.

In that vein, I’m looking for a few updates to pass along to anglers.

I know fishermen are pretty particular about their favorite spots, and I don’t expect you to share any of yours here.

However, I’d still like your help … if you’re willing to give it.

All I’m looking for is open water. At this time of year, a lack of actual fish needn’t disqualify a piece of water from consideration. After all, many of us head out on opening day fully expecting to be shut out. Or maybe that’s just me.

Either way, streams and rivers may be our only options this year, and I’d like to mention a few Saturday.

If you do know of spots where anglers could wet a line on opening day, please consider dropping me a line, and I’ll let people know. Be forewarned: E-mail advice that the trout are biting in the Bangor wastewater treatment lagoons is not particularly helpful.

So, I’ll be waiting for your ideas. If those aren’t forthcoming, I’ll be left to my own devices. And if that happens … who knows? I might inadvertently end up talking about your favorite spot.

jholyoke@bangordailynews.net

990-8214