Operational Plan for the Restoration of Diadromous Fishes to the ...

8.0 Objective: Rebuild the blueback herring population to self-sustaining
levels in historical habitat within 40 years.
8.1.Measure: Every four generations (16 years) after Yr0 the blueback herring
population above Milford will increase by 25% by natural reproduction of wild fish.
8.1.1 Strategy: Monitor adult alewife returns by annual counts at Milford, West
Enfield, and Pumpkin Hill fishways and Howland bypass, and weekly biological
sampling at Milford.
8.1.2 Strategy: Assess and improve if needed upstream and downstream passage at
barriers (see Passage and Connectivity objectives 16.1, 17.0, 18.0 and Non-native
species objective 23.0 for timetables).
8.1.3 Strategy: Conduct bi-weekly beach seine survey to assess juvenile fishes.
8.1.4 Strategy: Conduct annual boat electrofishing survey to assess changes in
community structure.
8.1.5 Strategy: Truck a portion of blueback herring from Milford and release above
Howland and West Enfield.
9. 0 Objective: Rebuild the catadromous American eel population in historical
habitat within 40 years.
9.1. Measure: Five years after Yr0 the number of American eel recruits to the Milford
headpond will increase by a factor of 10, and the relative abundance of American eel
between Veazie and Milford will increase by a factor or 10.
9.1.1 Strategy: Obtain daily counts of eel passage at Milford and weekly biological
information (length and weight).
9.1.2. Strategy: Assess and improve if needed upstream and downstream passage
at barriers.
9.1.3 Strategy: Use annual boat electrofishing survey to determine relative
abundance and biomass of American eel in the river.
10.0 Objective: Rebuild the sea lamprey population to self-sustaining levels in
historical habitat within 40.
10.1 Measure: Five years after Yr0 the number of sea lamprey migrating above the
Milford headpond will increase by a factor of 10.
10.1.1 Strategy: Obtain daily counts of sea lamprey at Milford and weekly biological
information (length and weight).
10.1.2 Strategy: Assess and improve if needed upstream and downstream passage
at barriers (see Passage and Connectivity objectives 16.1, 17.0, 18.0 and Nonnative
species objective 23.0 for timetables).
11.0 Objective: Provide access for striped bass to historical habitat in the
Penobscot River within 40 years.
11.1 Measure: Create a recreational striped bass fishery above Milford in Yr1.
11.1.1 Strategy: Obtain daily counts of striped bass at Milford and weekly biological
information (length and weight).
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