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Salmon Decline in Quebec Rivers Creates Concern in Maine

New numbers showing a sharp decline in salmon in Quebec rivers is reason for concern about Maine salmon. That's according to the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Andrew Goode is vice president of U.S. programs for the federation.

"The salmon runs in Canada this past year, 2014, took a huge hit, a big drop, probably the worst runs in 25 years," Goode says. "And when the numbers in Canada drop, our numbers in Maine drop as well."

Goode says Atlantic Canadian and Maine rivers produce a good number of young salmon, but when they travel to Greenland to feed, something's happening to them that he likens to a "black hole." And he says that impacts both populations.

According to Quebec's Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks, runs of large salmon declined almost 50 percent last year, with numbers of younger salmon declining 18 percent, compared to the five-year average.

A major concern for Canadian salmon is recreational over fishing, as well as habitat degradation and aquaculture. In Maine, Goode says the single largest threat to salmon is dams.

But he says Maine is opening up a lot of salmon habitat and he expects to see numbers bounce back in the future.