What is World Fish Migration Day?
World Fish Migration Day, October 24, is a global celebration about the importance of free-flowing rivers and migratory fish.
Why? Migratory fish all over the world depend on free flowing rivers. Today, river barriers like dams, sluices and many other obstacles threaten many fish species’ survival. Free-flowing rivers that allow fish to travel upriver increase fish populations in the river and assure healthy river life in the process.
How is Vermont celebrating?
Vermont is holding 3 events to build awareness about migratory fish habitat and the benefits of dam removal in restoring free-flowing waters. Click here to read the official press release about World Fish Migration Day in Vermont. Learn more about the events in these videos, and in the descriptions below.
Plus: View a video here from Todd Menees, River Management Engineer, State of Vermont.
Saturday, October 24: Central Vermont
IN PERSON & FACEBOOK LIVE, 11am-12pm: Check out a floodplain restoration site in Northfield, VT (Water Street Park) and learn more about fish migration patterns. You might even see some fish!
There will be a Facebook Live event at the floodplain restoration project in Northfield. And you are also welcome to join in person. Stay tuned for live-streaming info.
DAM REMOVAL SITE TOURS, 12pm-3pm: Join us to celebrate the recent removal of the Camp Wihakowi Dam on Bull Run, a tributary to the Dog River in Northfield. The resulting stream restoration has connected over 20 miles of stream for fish and aquatic organism passage. Come take a tour of the dam removal project and learn about the partnerships needed to complete work and the benefits provided to the environment. Tours start at 12 p.m. and end at 3 p.m. To register: Please email the Friends of the Winooski River to register: info@winooskiriver.org.
Wednesday, October 28: Connecticut River Valley
Join Lael Will from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Ken Sprankle of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for a virtual town hall to learn how native Sea lamprey and American shad migrate from the Atlantic Ocean up the Connecticut River and its to tributaries in Vermont and elsewhere to spawn, the history of these species, and work being done to help them thrive in the Connecticut River. Hosted by Kathy Urffer and Ron Rhodes, River Stewards of the Connecticut River Conservancy
Register: Please sign up at https://tinyurl.com/ctriverevent.
October 24-November 24: Digital scavenger hunt on Agents of Discovery app
Most major tributaries to Lake Champlain have been blocked by hydroelectric facilities and other dams preventing migratory fish from accessing habitat important for spawning and habitat refuge. Learn about ways we are restoring native fish populations to areas that have not been accessible migratory fish for decades!
Watch the WCAX segment linked below, and head down to the Winooski One dam in downtown Winooski and try out our mission on Agents of Discovery, an app that guides you through exploring and learning about how fish are affected by hydroelectric dams. Once on Agents of Discovery, search for our mission called “World Fish Migration Day – VT”. You can complete this mission through the end of November! Visit: https://agentsofdiscovery.com/ to access the app.
More on this story can be seen in this short WCAX video: https://www.wcax.com/2020/10/13/wildlife-watch-the-challenging-migration-of-landlocked-atlantic-salmon/
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