DSRRN Goals

The goal of the proposed Research Coordination Network is to develop and sustain facilitated interactions of multiple research, government and stakeholder entities focused on restoring diadromous fish populations throughout the North Atlantic region. The strength of this RCN is in its connection to and integration with the Penobscot River Restoration Project, the most ambitious restoration effort ever proposed for a watershed of this size. Within this context unparalleled opportunities exist to study questions fundamental to diadromous fish ecology and restoration, including: the role of diadromous fish in marine-freshwater linkages, the interdependency of co-evolved diadromous species, multi-species interactions in a restoration context, and the effects of multiple stressors on restoration results.

The RCN will work to coordinate the overlapping/ interconnected research efforts of academic, government and watershed stakeholders, provide administrative structure, and support data management. There are strong incentives to join the network: collaboration opportunities with a diversity of research groups, shared resources, reduced redundancy of effort, interdisciplinary hypothesis development, the ability to link cutting-edge research with agency missions and NGO objectives, and outstanding interdisciplinary educational opportunities for students.

 

Our agency benefits greatly from the productive and collaborative research interactions we have with academic institutions, other governmental agencies, and partners working on Maine's rivers.

Merry Gallagher
Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife