Updates from DSF
By Ellie Mason, Habitat Restoration Project Manager Work continues to move forward on the Cherryfield Fish Passage Project, with crews making exciting progress on both the nature-like fishway and the foundations for the new ice piers. This week, Sargent continued placing material that will form the bottom of the…
By Alice Hotopp, Fisheries Assessment and Science Communication Specialist It’s midsummer, which means ice cream, river swims, and, most importantly, no school. While lessons may be the last thing on kids’ minds, we at DSF believe that learning is a core component of environmental stewardship, so we wanted to share…
By Ellie Mason, Habitat Restoration Project Manager Exciting progress continues at the Cherryfield Ice Control Dam project! This week, Sargent Construction made major advancements on the temporary bypass channel being built around the dam. Once completed, the channel will allow the river to continue flowing around the construction site so…
Do you love storytelling, building relationships, and making a difference through your work? Join the team at Downeast Salmon Federation as our Development & Communications Associate. This is an exciting opportunity to help grow support for the restoration of Maine’s wild sea-run fish and rivers. You’ll help share the…
Looking for your next summer read? We’ve put together a collection of books that connect to the rivers, fish, and conservation challenges that inspire our work at DSF every day. Learn more about the effects of industrial-scale Atlantic salmon farming in Salmon Wars, discover the power of river restoration in…
Fish passage, flood control and a Maine town united | Nature Connects On the Narraguagus River in Cherryfield, a community-focused restoration effort serves as a model for reopening sea-run fish pathways. Posted May 17 – Portland Press Herald Authors: Ellie Mason is habitat restoration project manager and Alice Hotopp is fisheries assessment and science…
Excerpt from Maine Public (May 17, 2026) Aging hydropower dams on the Union River in Ellsworth fail to meet necessary water quality standards to receive a key state operating permit, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The department issued a draft denial of a water quality certificate for…
Excerpt from Bangor Daily News (May 12, 2026): Calls to remove an Ellsworth dam are mounting after the state signaled it would deny a water quality permit for the second time, renewing questions about the future of the Union River dams. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has issued a…
Downeast Salmon Federation Prepares for Leadership Transition After Decades of Service Columbia Falls, Maine — May 11, 2026 — The Board of Directors of the Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF) and Executive Director Dwayne Shaw have jointly announced a planned, one-year leadership transition, with the goal of welcoming a new Executive…
Downeast Salmon Federation continues to push for a solution to help sea-run fish migrate on the Union River. Fish that attempt to pass this large dam often end up being killed by the turbines. Please help us push for state-of-the-art fish passage at these antiquated and inefficient (circa 1907) dams.…