Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 8 : Spring 2011 | Page 41

to the hatchery. The hatchery is capable of
handling more than 2.5 million eggs per year.

Federal or State monies have not been
given to the restoration of Atlantic Salmon in
the Aroostook River. The reasoning behind
denial of funding is the Aroostook River
and its tributaries flow into Canada. “Hell,
most of us here in the county have relatives
in Canada!” To cut politics to the chase, the
Canadians have been very good to us for 35
years in our restoration projects. Why wouldn’t
they, benefit is realized in the Canadian waters
also. 0ur effort is simple: Atlantic Salmon
will imprint with a scent of their native river
then they will free swim to the ocean for their
greatest feeding and growth. Adult Atlantic
Salmon will return to spawn in their native
freshwater streams. We release them in the
Aroostook River to imprint the scent of this
native water which will guide them on the
return trip home to Maine.

Are we successful? “We’ve done fairly
good, best we can, do it cheaper than hell,
seem to be having an effect on the river,
and reports say we are getting good grow Ѡ