The NRCS notified us today, 5/19/2009, that they have approved the new concept for remediation of the Jam Black culvert and increased their funding from $27 thousand to $55 thousand, plus contributing engineering and environmental studies. The current concept is to remove the culverts in place now and replace them with an arch culvert at stream grade. The construction estimate is roughly $88 thousand, but the bidding process won't be done until engineering is complete, and $73 thousand funding has been committed to complete the project.  Engineering for placement of an arch culvert is more straight forward than trying to work around the installed pipe culverts, and construction companies are experienced in installing arch culverts. NRCS is an agency of the Federal Agriculture Department.and they will do the engineering for the work.

Our Chapter will contribute $3 thousand to the project and TU National has committed $5 thousand with $9 thousand coming from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Trust.

On February 18, Trout Unlimited signed an historic agreement along with the Secretary of Interior, the governors of California and Oregon, and other tribal, state, federal and non-government organizations. The agreement will lead to the removal of four dams along the Klamath River owned by the utility, PacifiCorp, and restore more than 350 miles of habitat that has been lost to salmon in California and Oregon.

There is a move in Maine by a few well-meaning but misdirected individuals to eliminate the striped bass slot fish at 20 to 26 inches and go to a minimum size of 36 inches.  There can be no doubt that striped bass fishing coast-wide – not just in Maine – is in serious decline, but adopting the same kind of regulations that have created the problem is not the way to go.

Regulations in many other coastal states have been designed around high minimum sizes to please high liners and commercial rod-and-reel fishermen who want to kill big stripers,  When combined with the net fisheries for smaller fish further to our south, the effect has been devastating. The meaningful change that needs to take place is for all states to finally end commercial fishing for striped bass and adopt a conservation style of management, like that championed by Maine for the last 15 years.  We should defend that conservative approach and promote it as the right way to manage this fishery.

If you agree with me it is very important that you send your sentiments to Pat Keliher at Patrick.keliher@maine.gov. Please also pass this e-mail on to your fishing friends. 

Clic to see ;pictures of the removal of the Senebec dam on the St. George river in 2002