HERRING FISHERY OF THE 

 U. S. PASSAMAQUODDY REGION 



by 



Leslie W. Scattergood, Laboratory Director 



and 



Lewis J, Lozier, Statistical Clerk 



Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 



Boothbay Harbor, Maine 



ABSTRACT 



The Maine herring fishery during 1947-58 has averaged 148 million pounds and 

 has ranged from 75 to 200 million pounds. Catches in the Passamaquoddy Project 

 area have averaged over 6 million pounds and have ranged from 2 to almost 11 

 million pounds. Maine herring landings immediately outside the dams averaged 6 

 million pounds and in the remainderof Washington County 28 million pounds. Yearly 

 catch fluctuations in the Project area fisheries are great, for example, the low pool 

 fishery caught 49,000 pounds in 1947 and over 6 million pounds in 1954. The Maine 

 herring fishery is seasonal; most of the catch occurs between June and October. In 

 the two pools, most of the herring have been caught between August and October. 

 Along the entire Maine coast, stop seines have been the most productive gear; in 

 the Project area, seiners took 77 percent of the low pool catch, but only 17 percent 

 of the high pool catch. Since 1947, the number of weirs fluctuated markedly, from 

 none to 16 in the low pool and 14 to ^ in the high pool. 



INTRODUCTION 



The Governments of Canada and the United 

 States asked the International Joint Commis- 

 sion to determine the feasibility, desirability, 

 and cost of constructing a hydroelectric power 

 plant in Passamaquoddy and Cobscook Bays. 

 This electricity-producing project has two 

 proposed impoundments, the high and low 

 pools. Turbines in the power plant would be 

 activated by the flow of sea water, con- 

 trolled and guided through the two huge pools 

 by a system of dams with filling or emptying 

 gates. 



The International Passamaquoddy Fisheries 

 Board was created by the International Joint 



Commission and was charged with the respon- 

 sibility for determining the effects that this 

 proposed tidal power project might have on 

 the fishery economics of the United States 

 and Canada. Accordingly, Canadian and United 

 States scientists studied the oceanographic, 

 biologic, and fishery economic characteristics 

 of the "Quoddy Region" to provide a basis for 

 assessing the economic impact of the pro- 

 posed project. 



The Quoddy Region is shown in figure 1. 

 The high pool includes the western sides of 

 the St. Croix River estuary and Passamaquoddy 

 Bay, together with the shores and waters of the 

 east side of Moose Island. The low pool consists 



