U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded $1,173,248 in grants to the University of Maine in Orono and the Maine Department of Marine Resources in Augusta. The grants were administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“Maine’s coastal and environmental reasons are national treasures that contribute to the quality of life all Mainers enjoy,” said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. “The preservation, management and protection of our habitats and species are a responsibility we all share and these grants will help further those efforts.”
The University of Maine was awarded $1,055,000 to continue the work of Maine Sea Grant to support research, extension and education in the Gulf of Maine region. Maine Sea Grant has as its mission to play a leadership role in marine science and education and to promote their use in the sustainable development, management, and stewardship of marine and coastal resources.
The Maine Department of Marine Resources was awarded $118,248.06 for their investigation into the distribution and abundance of shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River. The population of the species is unknown yet is vital to determine since the shortnote sturgeon were listed as endangered species in 1967. A significant component of the listing process under the ESA is to determine the current status of the species throughout their range, including regions where they may have existed historically or have the potential to be restored, e.g. the Penobscot River.
The number of shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River is currently unknown. This study aims to use extensive effort to assess the distribution, abundance and movements of adult and sub-adult shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River. This will benefit the species by providing management agencies with a better idea of their status in a portion of their known range. In addition, data specific to critical habitat and use patterns will be obtained. Such data can help in planning conservation practices within the current range of the species and provide insight into the potential benefits of range expansion into historic habitat should lower river dams be removed from the Penobscot system.