Maine is exploring a path that could bring back Atlantic salmon fishing

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor

The Maine Department of Marine Resources is asking a federal agency to review whether existing endangered species laws could provide new tools to accelerate Atlantic salmon recovery, an effort the state says could eventually create opportunities for tightly controlled catch-and-release fishing if the species recovers.

In a June 4 letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service, DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson asked the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to evaluate whether authorities under the Endangered Species Act could provide additional flexibility to expand Atlantic salmon recovery efforts while maintaining existing federal protections. 

The request comes after decades of habitat restoration, improved fish passage and river connectivity projects that have benefited Atlantic salmon and other sea-run fish, but adult Atlantic salmon returns remain very low despite those investments, according to Sean Ledwin, director of DMR’s Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat.

The state is pursuing opportunities to significantly expand Atlantic salmon production through new rearing capacity and partnerships that would increase the number of adult fish available for restoration, Ledwin said. If successful, those efforts could dramatically increase adult salmon spawning in Maine rivers and accelerate recovery by restoring salmon to suitable historic habitats that are currently unoccupied.

Atlantic salmon were once abundant in Maine rivers and supported a world-renowned sport fishery, but the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 2000. Fishing for wild Atlantic salmon in Maine has been closed since 1999.

Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act, one of the authorities referenced in Wilson’s letter, was added by Congress in 1982. The provision allows certain reintroduced endangered species populations to be designated as nonessential experimental populations, giving wildlife managers greater flexibility while still advancing species recovery. 

Section 10(j) has not been used for species recovery in Maine. However, NOAA Fisheries has used the authority for salmon and steelhead recovery efforts in California, Oregon and Washington, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used it in recovery programs involving gray wolves, California condors, black-footed ferrets and whooping cranes.

Wilson’s letter also raises the possibility of future “conservation-oriented recreational fisheries” if Atlantic salmon populations recover. Recovery remains DMR’s primary objective, Ledwin said, but rebuilding the public’s connection to Atlantic salmon and Maine’s rivers is also key to sustaining long-term conservation. 

In the near term, the department envisions expanding volunteer restoration projects, citizen science and educational opportunities to strengthen public engagement in Atlantic salmon conservation. 

“Throughout North America, fisheries have often helped create the public support, funding, and partnerships needed to sustain long-term restoration efforts. If people have opportunities to connect with a recovered resource, they are more likely to become advocates for protecting that resource and the rivers that support it.”

NOAA Fisheries has acknowledged receiving the letter, according to DMR, but has not indicated whether or how it plans to conduct the requested review.