There is no repeat spawning data for the Stueben fishery. The Maine Department of Marine Resources manages this system for a commercial escapement of three fish per acre. The spawning escapement need for this system is 6,213 river herring passed upstream by closing the harvest three days per week. The management plan has achieved returns to meet the target escapement developed for this system for 85% of the years during the past 20-year period or passed the entire run upstream. The Steuben system is located several miles inland and is severely limited by beaver activity along the 15-mile long brook leading to spawning habitat in Tunk Lake. Alewife production at this site depends on high water during both the spring and fall seasons. As a result, production from this system varies widely. This is one of several systems with landlocked salmon, lake trout, and rainbow smelt that the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife manages for sport fish species. There is no known spawning for either species within the stream leading to the pond.
Due to water quality issues associated with its oligotrophic characteristics, Tunk Lake produces very small juvenile alewives that emigrate to sea from July – October. The lake is nutrient poor and is not as productive as other lakes in the region. It is unlikely that increased escapement beyond the 3 fish per acre would produce consistently higher annual returns.
Steuben Fishery
Source: Maine ASMFC River Herring Sustainable Fishing Plan
There is no repeat spawning data for the Stueben fishery. The Maine Department of Marine Resources manages this system for a commercial escapement of three fish per acre. The spawning escapement need for this system is 6,213 river herring passed upstream by closing the harvest three days per week. The management plan has achieved returns to meet the target escapement developed for this system for 85% of the years during the past 20-year period or passed the entire run upstream. The Steuben system is located several miles inland and is severely limited by beaver activity along the 15-mile long brook leading to spawning habitat in Tunk Lake. Alewife production at this site depends on high water during both the spring and fall seasons. As a result, production from this system varies widely. This is one of several systems with landlocked salmon, lake trout, and rainbow smelt that the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife manages for sport fish species. There is no known spawning for either species within the stream leading to the pond.
Due to water quality issues associated with its oligotrophic characteristics, Tunk Lake produces very small juvenile alewives that emigrate to sea from July – October. The lake is nutrient poor and is not as productive as other lakes in the region. It is unlikely that increased escapement beyond the 3 fish per acre would produce consistently higher annual returns.
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