Employee of the Green Lake NFH in Maine move Atlantic Salmon Fry

Two hundred years ago, at least 34 of new England’s coastal rivers had wild runs of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). However, impediments such as dams, pollution, habitat loss, changes in water temperatures, overfishing, etc. have reduced the mighty fish to a few rivers in Maine. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service declared the Atlantic salmon as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in November 2000. The Green Lake NFH, Maine is the only hatchery stocking Maine’s rivers with Atlantic salmon smolts and is dedicated to restoring wild Atlantic salmon to the Penobscot, St. Croix, Merrimack and Saco Rivers - all major rivers which have lost their native salmon. (electronic image only) Photo taken: 6/12/01 by Robert Pos, Fishery