It's a sad situation, as instinct kicks in and these young alewives try to make their way down Ellsworth's Union River and into the Atlantic.  A very sharp obstacle stands in the way for a lot of them.

Following a tip from a local resident this past Wednesday, August 9th, biologists from the Downeast Salmon Federation documented thousands of the dead fish on the south side of the Union River Dam in Ellsworth. The fish fall victim to the generator blades located within the dam.  Hordes of dead fish have been reported by locals as far away as Ellsworth's Union River Harbor Park about a half-mile downstream.

The power producing Union River Dam on Leonard's Lake is owned by Brookfield Renewable with headquarters in Bermuda.  According to an article in the Bangor Daily News, the company is in middle of a five year renewal process that would eventually grant them a license to operate for another thirty years.

Last year Brookfield reported that it successfully moved hundreds of thousands of fish and eels around the dam  This week,when contacted by the Downeast Salmon Federation, company representatives said that they would survey the river's shoreline.

 

 

 

 

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