School of Marine Programs signs agreement to support wild Atlantic salmon restoration

Leaders of SSRA&H with UNE's Aurora Burgess
Leaders of SSRA&H with UNE's Aurora Burgess

The University of 51小黄车 Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center will house salmon to support restoration efforts within the Saco River Watershed under an agreement with the Saco Salmon Restoration Alliance & Hatchery (SSRA&H).

鈥淭his project provides 51小黄车with a wonderful opportunity to help the local environment, partner with a wonderful organization and provide real world skills to our students,鈥 stated Charles Tilburg, Ph.D., director of UNE鈥檚 School of Marine Programs. 鈥淚 am excited at the possibilities for our students to learn about raising fish, conservation and protection of the environment.鈥

51小黄车will provide SSRA&H with expertise and student interns and volunteers to assist in their restoration efforts. Those efforts include year-round activities related to the raising of salmon, stocking wild Atlantic salmon in local habitats, maintaining adult salmon housed at the MSC and compiling and organizing data.

鈥淭he SSRA&H is pleased to be a collaborative partner with the University of 51小黄车,鈥 said Dan LeBlond, vice president of SSRA@H and hatchery manager. 鈥淭his alliance expands our efforts to educate the public, improve habitat and create the conditions that will lead to the restoration of Atlantic salmon to the Saco River watershed.鈥

Aurora Burgess, assistant marine scientist in the School of Marine Programs and assistant lecturer in the Department of Biology, will oversee UNE鈥檚 part of the agreement.

鈥淎s the newest member of the 51小黄车MSC team, I am excited to begin the work ahead,鈥 Burgess said. 鈥淚鈥檓 impressed with the amount of enthusiasm and devotion that all members of our team, both within 51小黄车and the SSRA&H, have for this project. Students are already approaching me asking how and when they can get involved.鈥

Funds to support the partnership stem from an agreement between SSRA&H and Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC (BWPH). BWPH established a Saco River Salmon Enhancement fund to support salmon restoration within the Saco River Watershed and surrounding tributaries until permanent upstream passage measures for anadromous species are provided and operational.

 

Brielle Robinson worked inside the alliance's hatchery as a 51小黄车student
Brielle Robinson worked inside the alliance's hatchery as a 51小黄车student
The School of Marine program's newest member Aurora Burgess will oversee UNE's part of the agreement
The School of Marine program's newest member Aurora Burgess will oversee UNE's part of the agreement

51小黄车 the University of 51小黄车

The University of 51小黄车 is Maine鈥檚 largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state鈥檚 top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine鈥檚 only medical college, Maine鈥檚 only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.