Some Local Smelt History
Rainbow Smelt
DSF’s annual Smelt Fry and Fisheries Celebration, which will be held on April 26th this year (see below), is a long-standing and popular event celebrating local food and sustainable fishing. But there’s much more to the relationship between DSF and smelt than just frying them up for folks to enjoy each year.
Rainbow smelt are one of 12 sea-run (or diadromous) species found in the Gulf of Maine. They spend 99% of their lives in estuaries and coastal waters (lovin’ it up ) before spawning in coastal streams in the spring. Their migration into rivers coincides with Atlantic Salmon smolt departure, which provides vital cover for the adolescent, sea-bound Atlantic Salmon. Their high fat content also makes them choice prey for birds, other fish, and marine mammals.
Historically, these fish ranged from Chesapeake Bay to Labrador in the Atlantic Ocean, but many river systems that supported commercial smelting for centuries experienced significant declines. So much so, in fact, that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) listed them as a Federal Species of Concern in 2004; a designation that continues to this day. As a result, commercial smelt fisheries were closed five years later, except for a handful of rivers in the northern Gulf of Maine where evidence of sustainable populations still existed. The Pleasant River is one of these.
DSF convinced the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to delay the closure of the Pleasant River commercial fishery, pending further investigation. Part of this investigation involved “citizen scientists” who collected field data and historical information about the smelt fishery to help provide a clearer picture of current populations. This effort produced baseline data for over 150 streams in the region and today we are rewarded by those efforts: the Pleasant River in Columbia Falls is home to the last commercial smelt gill-net fishery on the East coast.
The citizen science program started by DSF has been adapted by DMR, and our involvement continues to this day. Recently, DMR has also begun using environmental DNA (eDNA) to look for the presence of these fish in streams, by collecting water samples that are then tested for the presence of smelt DNA.
There is still much we need to learn about smelt, and the citizen surveys continue. If you are interested in participating in the 2025 survey, online training for the Southern, Mid-Coast, and Penobscot regions is March 3rd. Training for Downeast is April 7th. Please contact Michael Manning at . to indicate your interest and/or get additional information about participating.
The Smelt Fry is Coming…
Sponsorships and Volunteers Welcome!
We look forward to welcoming the community back to the 22nd annual DSF Smelt Fry; the premier event of the year for us to not only fill you up on yummy Pleasant River smelt but also update you on all we’ve accomplished over the last year (and believe us, it’s been a LOT!).
Mark your calendars now to join us on Saturday, April 26th from 11:00A.M. – 3:00P.M. for the most fun day of the year in Columbia Falls! This year looks to be bigger and better than ever with activities happening all over town for both the young and young at heart; we’ll have exhibits at the Wreaths Across America Gym (the same location as the Columbia Falls Town Hall), a Touch Tank, hatchery tours, fly casting, fly tying, kids’ activities, adult libations at the heritage smokehouse (the “Smelt Shack”) and of course, lots of yummy food!
We are currently looking for sponsors to help us defray the cost of a meal, which especially helps our veterans, seniors and families. With a $250 minimum sponsorship, you or your company will receive 2 complimentary meal tickets; all sponsorships are due by April 11th.
Also, we are looking for energetic folks to help us on the day of the event. If you can give even one hour to help with things like kitchen help, parking, or anything in between, please call our Office Assistant, Corinne at (207) 483-4336 and we’ll get you on the list.
It takes a community to successfully hold an event this big and we are proud to be part of the wonderful Downeast community that helps us share this event each year. We look forward to seeing you in April!
Catching Smelt