Sarah Madronal
Voices of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum 2019
Voices of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum 2019 is a project of Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, and the Island Institute, with support from the Maine Fishermen’s Forum Board of Directors.
Molly Graham
Sarah Madronal is a fisheries biologist from Cutler, ME. With a background in policy studies, she has focused her work on understanding the social structures and cultural significance surrounding fisheries, particularly alewives.
Scope and Content Note
Sarah Madronal talks about her work with the Downeast Salmon Federation around protecting waterfront access and improving fish passage for river-run fish. Madronal discusses the community she has found Downeast and her joy in working on education projects that engage local children in fisheries history. Madronal describes her day-to-day activities, which involve fieldwork, data analysis, and education/outreach work. She highlights the significance of sea-run species for the health of Maine rivers and their cultural heritage. Madronal discusses some concerns in the community, such as the opioid crisis and the bait shortage, which impact the personal lives of community members. She also touches on issues related to waterfront access. Madronal talks about positive steps being taken to restore alewife populations, including the removal of dams and improvement of fishways. She mentions the importance of education and outreach, especially for children, to instill a love for the environment and create future stewards of the resource.
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