DEBLOIS, Maine - The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and Milbridge-based blueberry grower Wyman's have completed a successful partnership to improve fish passage for alewives into Bog Brook Flowage on the Narraguagus River, helping restore an important native fish run while supporting Maine’s coastal economy.
Bog Brook Flowage is a 1,600-acre wetland connected to the Narraguagus River and located adjacent to blueberry barrens owned by Wyman's. The flowage provides important habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife species, including Atlantic salmon, bald eagles, waterfowl, and wading birds. Improving access for alewives to the flowage supports both the ecological productivity of the watershed and the long-term restoration of sea-run fish populations in Downeast Maine.
Wyman’s worked collaboratively with DMR to install fish passage improvements on a dam located at the western end of the wetland, ahead of this year’s annual alewife migration.
The dam maintains a constant flowage height, provides water flow for fisheries habitat, and is equipped with a fishway to provide upstream fish passage. However, the fishway needed to be longer so it had a more gradual slope to reduce water velocity and turbulence which inhibited up stream fish passage. The project started last fall with DMR providing the necessary materials for Wyman’s to extend the fishway. Wyman’s removed the fishway, installed the extension, and fabricated an additional four-foot entrance. Once fabrication was complete, Wyman’s re-installed the fishway a few days later.
The proactive effort has allowed alewives improved access into Bog Brook Flowage, where early observations by DMR field staff indicate a substantial increase in upstream passage compared to previous years.
Alewives are an ecologically and economically important species in Maine. Stronger runs provide food for fish, birds, and other wildlife while also supporting commercial harvest opportunities that benefit coastal communities and Maine lobstermen who rely on alewives as a valuable bait source.
“This partnership demonstrates what can happen when the state and industry work together toward shared goals,” said Carl Wilson, Commissioner of Maine DMR. “Wyman’s willingness to move quickly and complete the installation before the spring migration made a real difference this year, and we are already seeing encouraging improvements in fish passage.”
“We are proud to partner with DMR on this project and support the restoration of alewife populations in the Narraguagus watershed,” said Darin Hammond, Senior Farm Manager at Wyman’s. “Healthy rivers and sustainable fisheries are important to Maine’s future, and it was the right thing to do for the environment, so we were happy to put in the necessary work.”
“Wyman’s has a history of this type of restoration, having installed arch culverts and completed bridge crossing repairs in the past decade for better aquatic connectivity on and surrounding their wild blueberry land,” said Hammond.
“DMR and Wyman’s intend to continue working together to evaluate additional long-term improvements at the site that could further enhance fish passage and expand alewife spawning habitat in the future,” said DMR Searun Fisheries and Habitat Bureau Director Sean Ledwin.
“The effort reflects ongoing collaboration among private landowners, industry, and DMR resource managers to restore Maine’s historic sea run fish populations and strengthen the economic and ecological benefits they provide,” said Ledwin.