Stnce there are unlikely to be any- 

 significant changes in oceanographlc con- 

 ditions outside the dams, herring should 

 arrive in this area as before. Little 

 change is expected in current velocities 

 in the approaches to the filling gates 

 when open. Because velocities are well 

 above the maximum sustained swimming 

 speed of herring, the fish will be carried 

 through the filling gates. Since the filling 

 gates are open for about 6 hours each 

 day, movement of herring Into Passama- 

 quoddy Bay Is expected to be delayed. 

 This Is also true for Cobscook Bay 

 where entry will be chiefly through tur- 

 bines. Although the rate at which herring 

 accumulate will be slower, there should 

 be no reduction In overall abundance 

 Inside the Bays. 



Predicted changes In temperatures and 

 salinities are expected to make the areas 

 Inside the dams no less favorable for 

 herring except In Isolated areas where 

 high temperatures and low salinities may 

 cause some mortality. Predicted pres- 

 sures and rates of pressure change be- 

 tween the turbine Intakes and exits are 

 within limits that herring can withstand. 



No relation between herring landings 

 and various meteorological and oceano- 

 graphlc conditions including surface drift, 

 river discharge, wind speed and direc- 

 tion, zooplankton, temperatures, and 

 salinities Is apparent. 



Long-term statistics of herring land- 

 ings show year-to-year variations In 

 Individual weir catches and In total 

 catches In various parts of the Quoddy 

 Region. These are of far greater magni- 

 tude than the changes that can be fore- 

 cast as resulting from the dams. 



No measurable change In groundfish 

 landings In the Quoddy Region Is antici- 

 pated, but a change In species composition 

 of the fraction of the catch taken Inside 

 the dams Is expected. Inside the dams, 

 winter flounder fisheries may Increase 

 while haddock and pollock fisheries may 

 be greatly reduced. It Is expected that 

 clam fisheries will be greatly reduced 



for a period of 10 years and then be- 

 come re-established at a lower level of 

 production. Scallop stocks should Increase 

 substantially. Inside the dams, a modest 

 Increase in production of lobsters Is 

 anticipated. Conditions for anadromous 

 species such as Atlantic salmon and 

 alewives may be Improved. Smelt, shad, 

 and sea-irun trout stocks should Increase. 

 Striped bass and tomcod thrive In areas 

 where conditions of temperature and 

 salinity are similar to those predicted 

 for Passamaquoddy and Cobscook Bays. 

 Some reduction Is expected In the avail- 

 ability of marine wornns and rockweed. 



Six existing herring weir sites will be 

 eliminated by the construction of dams. 

 Other weirs must be relocated or altered 

 to suit the new oceanographlc environ- 

 ment. Weir stakes and nets will have 

 to be Increased In size to suit new water 

 levels. The resultant fixed costs are 

 estimated at $129,000. Wood borer ac- 

 tivity Is expected to Increase. Ice will 

 cause some damage to weir materials 

 during the winter. The annual cost of 

 weir operations will rise approximately 

 $10,000. It is conceivable that weir 

 owners may discontinue their invest- 

 ments in weirs inside the dams. A shift 

 to other methods of fishing could be 

 expected to maintain the fishery, at least 

 at Its present level. 



Lobster fishermen are not expected 

 to be adversely affected, but physical 

 damages due to relocation of lobster 

 pounds, refrigeration of water, or ex- 

 tension of Intake pipes are expected to 

 cost $450,000. Changes In the clam 

 fishery may result In a loss of capital 

 Investment In plants valued at $100,000 

 and an annual loss In primaiy production 

 of $104,000 for 10 years. The disap- 

 pearance of some groundfish from Inside 

 the dams will result in an annual loss of 

 approximately $3,000. 



The Installation of fish-passage facili- 

 ties required for anadromous species 

 was estimated by fisheries engineers to 

 cost $3.0 million. 



38 



