A fish linked to rivers and ocean
Atlantic salmon historically occupied Maine’s major river systems and many tributaries with cold, clear water, suitable gravel, and passage to the sea. Their life cycle connects freshwater spawning grounds with distant North Atlantic feeding areas.
Adults generally return from the ocean to fresh water beginning in spring. Migration peaks in June and can continue into fall. Once in fresh water, adults stop feeding and live on stored energy while seeking cold summer refuges and swift, gravel-bottomed tributaries. Spawning occurs during October and November.
Young salmon travel thousands of miles toward feeding grounds near Greenland and Labrador. They typically remain at sea for one to three years before returning toward their natal rivers to reproduce.
Historic range and decline
Records identify salmon in the Saco, lower Kennebec, lower Androscoggin, Sheepscot, Penobscot, Cove Brook, Passagassawakeag, Ducktrap, Narraguagus, Pleasant, Machias, East Machias, Dennys, and St. Croix river systems. Their distribution and abundance declined substantially from historic levels.
Restoration work in Maine extends back to the nineteenth century. Hatcheries began operating in the 1870s, and the Craig Brook facility was established in 1890 to support salmon stocking. Over time, large numbers of juvenile and adult salmon were released into Maine rivers.
Adult returns fluctuated but remained in the thousands into the 1980s. Marine survival then fell sharply during the mid-1990s, contributing to steep declines in returning salmon. Sea-run salmon fishing is prohibited in Maine waters.
