Beginning in 2009, National Park Service biologist Bruce Connery and the Maine Department of Marine Resources began collecting sex and length measurements on Acadia National Parks alewife populations. The project is an ongoing effort to restore diadromous fish species to native spawning waters. As a part of this effort, federal and state agencies cooperated with local municipalities in efforts to restore stream continuity through actions like the rebuilding and restoration of fish ladders.
Alewives are a native diadromous fish to the North Atlantic, meaning that they spawn in fresh water areas, and spend the remainder of their lives at sea. Since the origination of this project, there has been minimal improvement in alewive populations, due to lack of access to spawning habits, over-fishing, and changing ocean conditions.
