Two hundred tiny Atlantic salmon fry will be released intoKenduskeag Stream this week.
The one-inch fish, which are stocked in Maine's rivers andstreams, are the best hope for the state's battered Atlantic salmonfishery.
But these particular fish play a more important role.
For the past five months these fish have lived in the lobby of theBangor Public Library, teaching local children the importance ofenvironmental stewardship.
The library is one of 150 sites statewide that have hosted tanksfull of salmon through education programs sponsored by the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service and the Maine Council of the Atlantic SalmonFederation.
Since the programs began in 1995, tanks full of salmon eggs havebeen sent to community sites in February, and after they hatched inearly June, the fry released into the wild.
'The children care for these fish and they learn the importance ofhabitat,' said Peter Steenstra, an educator with the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service.
'In order for this species to survive, we all have to be stewardsof high quality watersheds,' he said.
The Bangor Public Library fish release will take place at 10 a.m.Thursday at Six Mile Falls, and the public is invited to attend.
Outdoor heritage grants
The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund recently selected 24 conservationprojects that will share a half-million dollars from the sale ofconservation license plates and an outdoor instant lottery ticket.
The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund was created in 1995 to providegrants for fisheries and wildlife conservation, acquisition andmanagement of public lands, endangered and threatened speciesconservation, and natural resources law enforcement. Since itsinception, the fund has provided more than $9.4 million in grants to343 projects.
This year's projects include:
$3,000 for a study of potential improvements to the trout habitatin Hadlock Brook on Mount Desert Island.
$61,197 for mapping critical wildlife and plant habitat in 45towns statewide that are facing significant development pressure.
$22,853 for an assessment of whether a dragging moratorium shouldremain in place for Taunton Bay.
$15,000 to study mercury levels in salamanders.
$83,000 for shore land conservation along the St. Croix River andCobscook Bay in Washington County.
The deadline for the next round of grant applications is Sept. 1,2002. For more information, call 688-4191.
Nature-based tourism
More than 100 people, from hunting guides to white-water raftinginstructors, attended an April discussion of how Maine should manageits growing nature-based tourism industry.
Outdoor recreation is among the fastest-growing Maine industries,and state planners hope to design best practices to guard againstenvironmental degradation.
'It was quite clear by the end of the day that those peopleworking in the industry believe that Maine needs a statewide policyfor tourism with an emphasis on Maine's premier ability to attractand satisfy tourists who are looking for a 'back-to-nature' type ofexperience,' said Nat Bowditch, assistant director for the MaineOffice of Tourism.
A second nature-based tourism workshop is planned for January 2003in Augusta. For more information, contact Marc Edwards at theUniversity of Maine at marc.Edwards@umit.maine.edu or 581-2835.
Moose Lottery
Prospective hunters are reminded of the annual moose permitlottery, to be held beginning at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday at BucksportHigh School. Watch the Bangor Daily News sports section Thursday fora full list of this year's winners.
