WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and U.S. Representative Jared Golden, secured final congressional approval for the replacement and restoration of the Cherryfield Fishway. Passed as a provision of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act, the fishway will allow anadromous fish such as herring, alewives, and the endangered Atlantic salmon to migrate upstream. 

Previously, the Cherryfield dam which was built in 1961 to address flooding caused by ice jams in the Narraguagus River, blocked passage of the fishway. The removal of the dam will support the Town of Cherryfield in its efforts to conserve local habitats and recreation. The bill passed the House 399-18 last week and the Senate 97-1 last night. It now awaits President Biden’s signature to become law. 

“Responsible stewardship of Maine’s woods and waters has protected generations of business and recreation,” Collins, King and Golden said. “Opening the Narraguagus back up to fish migration is a recommitment to that responsibility and will benefit both Maine’s ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.”

Following a five-year study by the Army Corps of Engineers that concluded a natural fishway should replace the dam, Cherryfield voters approved the move in 2023. The Downeast Salmon Federation received a $9.1 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fish Passage Grant Program to spearhead the project, and construction is estimated to begin in 2026. 

“The bipartisan effort to advance the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 is incredible news for the Narraguagus River and the communities connected to it,” Hadley Couraud, Aquatic Restoration Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Maine said. “This bill will support the Town of Cherryfield in its effort to remove this structure and significantly improve access to an astonishing 320 miles of river, creating tremendous opportunities for habitat conservation, restoration and fish passage, while retaining the ice control and alewife harvest important for the town. TNC and our local partners are ready to support the town in replacing the dam with a more resilient, fish-friendly structure that benefits everyone.”

“This natural fishway has been decades in the making and will revitalize one of the most ecologically important rivers in the eastern United States,” Jacob van de Sande, Project Manager of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust said. “Getting this project over the finish line has truly been a team effort between the Town of Cherryfield; community partners like Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Downeast Salmon Federation, and the Nature Conservancy; and Maine’s Congressional Delegation. Now, it’s time to make it happen.”

“The passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 will greatly support a 10 year effort led in partnership by the Town of Cherryfield, Downeast Salmon Federation, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Atlantic Salmon Federation, and the Nature Conservancy,” Ellie Mason, Habitat Restoration Program Manager of the Downeast Salmon Federation said. “The advancement of this bill is a testament to the dedication of all the project partners and the collaborative nature of restoration work in Downeast Maine. We’re looking forward to supporting the town in their ongoing efforts to replace the dam with a nature-like fishway that continues to allow for alewife harvest and ice control.”

More information about the project can be found here. 

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