PO Box 51, Dresden, Maine 04342 info@alewifeharvesters.org 207-441-3006

Cherryfield Fishery

Source: Maine ASMFC River Herring Sustainable Fishing Plan 

The Maine Department of Marine Resources manages this system for a commercial escapement of 35 fish per acre. The spawning escapement need for this system is 29,050 river herring passed upstream through the three closed fishing days per week throughout the fishing season. The management plan has achieved the target escapement developed for this system 85% of the time for the past 20-year period or passed the entire run.

The Narraguagus River is an Atlantic salmon river with a significant number of alewives spawning in the lakes upstream of the dam located above the head of tide. A small run of American shad also spawn in the river above the dam and provide sport-fishing opportunities for the region.  There is no indication that blueback herring utilize this river based on commercial samples collected at the fishing location.  There is only a short stretch of freshwater below the dam and there is no evidence that river herring spawn in this stretch of river.