Wild Sebago salmon fry hatch out in Presumpscot River -- May 22, 2001
FOSL spent the afternoon of May 22, 2001 on the Eel Weir reach of
the Presumpscot River, just below the outlet of Sebago Lake, hoping to observe
baby Sebago salmon that had recently emerged from the spawning nests we
observed being made by adult salmon near the Route 35 bridge last November.
We were successful. The baby Sebago salmon shown above, each about
1 inch long, were found in small eddies next to the bank of the river just
above the Route 35 bridge. Hundreds of baby salmon similar in size to those
shown above were observed along the river. Note the distinctive vertical
bands along the sides of these baby salmon. These are called "parr
marks" and are carried by all juvenile trout and salmon. Sebago and
Atlantic salmon will carry these marks for their first two to three years
of life and are thought to provide camouflage to avoid predators. When Sebago
salmon and Atlantic salmon reach the age at which they go to sea or go to
their lake environment, usually at age two, they lose these markings and
become bright silver.
These salmon were carefully captured with a fine mesh aquarium dip
net, held out of the water only long enough to be photographed (about 5
seconds) and then carefully released to continue their new life in the Presumpscot
River. By this fall they should be 2.5 to 3.5 inches in length. Were it
not for the lack of a fishway at the Eel Weir
Dam at the Sebago Lake Outlet, these salmon would migrate into Sebago
Lake to grow into adults after two summers in the Presumpscot River.
FOSL believes these are the first photographs taken of Sebago salmon
fry (the earliest stream life stage of salmon) in their historic Presumpscot
River habitat. From approx. 1900 to 1992, this reach of the Presumpscot
River was dewatered and nearly devoid of life due to the S.D. Warren paper
company, owner of the Sebago Lake outlet dam, diverting nearly all of the
Presumpscot's River flow out of the river bed and into its downstream canal
and powerhouse.
More photos and info.
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