Passamaquoddy Tribe speaks out in favor of dam removal

June 9, 2025

Office of Habitat Conservation 

NOAA Restoration Center 

FHC3, 1315 East-West Highway 

Silver Spring, MD 20910 

Re: NOAA's Restoring Fish Passage Through Barrier Removal

Dear Ms. Gange:

I am writing to express the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik's strong support for full removal of the Montgomery Dam at the head of Camden Harbor in Camden, Maine. Removal of the dam will restore the river ecosystem, which is crucial to re-establishing sea-run fisheries such as alewives. Alewives are a culturally important species for our Tribe; however, dam constructions and other barriers have threatened the existence of sea-run fish and the Tribe's cultural practices related to these fish.

The Tribe is a sovereign and federally-recognized Indian tribe that maintains conununities at two separate reservations: Sipayik and Motahkomikuk (i.e., Pleasant Point and Indian Township). We are a fishing people. The Passamaquoddy people historically fished in rivers up and down the coast of Maine and beyond, as well as tlu-oughout the Gulf of Maine. These fisheries were and are critical to our cultural identity: our name, Passamaquoddy, translates to "people who spear pollock." The Tribe's citizens continue to harvest saltwater, freshwater, catadromous, and anadromous species and other migratory species in order to carry on their cultural and sustenance practices and to provide a moderate livelihood for their families.

The Tribe has a duty to protect and preserve the river ecosystem and ensure that sea-run fish and other species can survive, and even flourish. To this end, the Tribe has dedicated thousands of hours and millions of dollars to restoring fish passage in local rivers, including substantial efforts to increase fish passage tlu-ough dam removal and other efforts in the Skutik River (St. Croix River). Removal of the Montgomery Dam near the outlet of the Megunticook River is one more step towards restoring our river systems, protecting habitat, and supporting fish passage for migrating sea-run fish species, such as alewives. Furthermore, free-flowing rivers have broad ecological benefits, including improved water quality and better flood plain management.

‘The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik strongly recommends that NOAA support the Town of Camden's grant application to remove the Montgome1y Dam and restore fish passage. These transformational and community-supported efforts will have lasting benefits for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Amkuwiposohehs Bassett

Chief Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik