| Carl Wilcox |
The Royal River watershed could support 200,000 lbs of migratory sea fish passage if the two dams in Yarmouth were removed or if functional fish passage were to be constructed.
The Royal River has been identified by Maine’s Department of Marine Resources as the sixth largest shad spawning habitat in Maine. Alas, with the dams being present since 1857, not a single shad swims up the Royal River to spawn.
Instead of seeing migratory fish here in New Gloucester, we must travel to the rivers and streams that have either had their unused dams removed or have provided fish passage around them. Come to the World Fish Migration Day event at Royal River Park in Yarmouth on May 21 from 10 am to 1 pm to learn more.
World Fish Migration Day is an international event. Locally, the alewife migration peaks around Mother’s Day on incoming tides. Visit the 2022 Maine Alewife Trail Map from Maine Rivers for a fun Mother’s Day event.
