Richard Lawrence, Benton’s alewife warden, said that a state-approved town ordinance makes it legal for the town to harvest the fish once 250,000 have made it over the dam.
BENTON — The town’s first alewife warden says he is no expert on harvesting fish.
But Rick Lawrence does have a “keen interest” in the first spring migration of the sea-run species up the Sebasticook River to Benton in 200 years.
“I’ll make sure the harvest goes smoothly,” Lawrence said last week, as he guided three members of the Alewife Harvesters of Maine along the Sebasticook River — next year’s fishing grounds.
“I’ll monitor the harvest and make reports to both the town and the Department of Marine Resources. I’ll handle any issues, such as trespassers or poachers,” he said.
And he’ll work at a rate that would please most towns: for free.
Most of Lawrence’s job will begin any day now, as soon as the fish run begins. He’ll monitor Jefferson resident Ron Weeks and his crew as they net the prized fish, beginning Monday, near the Benton dam.
Voters agreed to spend about $17,000 in tax dollars to buy 2 1/2 acres of land along the river, a mile below the dam, and to build an access road leading to the harvest spot.
“It’s reasserting Benton’s historical right to harvest the fish,” Lawrence said of the contract.
Just for this year, the town will conduct the fish harvest nearer the dam, by permission of dam owner Essex Hydro.
There’s nothing to stop the herring species from reaching Webber Pond in Vassalboro or, beyond Benton, Sebasticook Lake in Newport now that Edwards Dam has been torn down in Augusta and Fort Halifax Dam is gone from Winslow. Fish ladders installed within recent years at the Benton and Burnham dams make the runs that far upriver possible.
The removal of Edwards Dam by itself has permitted the fish to make their way up the Kennebec and Seven Mile Stream to Webber Pond.
Benton residents recently agreed to allow Lawrence to negotiate the harvest.
Benton’s share of the harvest could range from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the source of the estimates.
Weeks has been awarded the contract to harvest the fish here, as well as at Vassalboro’s Webber Pond and at Jefferson’s Dyer Long Pond. As his contracts stipulate, he must return a third of his earnings to the three towns.
Lawrence has served on the board of Maine Rivers for six years. As he spoke, he gestured toward a large rock in the middle of the Sebasticook.
“That’s what makes this a great spot for harvesting,” he said. “They’ll be able to construct the weir there, to draw the fish toward the shore for harvesting.”
Just before the 2 million to 3 million alewives make their run up the river, Weeks and his employees will set up for the harvest. Last year, Weeks said, he took in 800 to 1,000 bushels of alewives from the waters in Vassalboro and Jefferson. As a lobsterman, Weeks uses some alewives for his own bait, but he sells most of his catch for $20 to 25 per bushel.
All under Lawrence’s watchful eye.
“Ron has a proven record for his honesty,” Lawrence said, “and the DMR is confident in him, too.”
Larry Grard 2009 Morning Sentinel BENTON: Warden ready for the run
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