This is in response to V. Paul Reynolds “Outdoors in Maine: Save the St. Croix Fishery” column (Aug. 30).

In his column, Reynolds makes an inaccurate reference that the Canadian government supports the assertion that the alewife was not historically present in the St. Croix Fishery prior to the existence of the fishways at the dams.

In fact, the government of Canada has long held the view that the alewife should have unrestricted passage within the river’s basin. As such, we welcomed the passage by the Maine State Legislature of LD 72 in April 2013 and the subsequent restoration of the alewife to the St. Croix River basin and the broader marine environment.

The St. Croix River has historically supported an indigenous population of sea-run alewives, and studies have highlighted the importance of the alewife to the St. Croix ecosystem.

As a native species, alewives have an ecologically important role to play as a source of food and nutrients within this ecosystem. Furthermore, the scientific community has concluded that the presence of alewives poses no threat to the basin’s smallmouth bass population.

The alewife remains an important native species to this ecosystem which brings both environmental and economic benefits to Canada and to Maine. We therefore look forward to its continued unrestricted passage to the St. Croix via the fishways.

Aaron Annable, Boston, Acting Consul General of Canada to New England

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