Lillian Labrie at the fish ladder in Damariscotta Mills. (Photo courtesy Caralyn Boyd)
The alewife festival is over, but the beloved river herring continue to populate Damariscotta Lake. The adult alewives are making their return down the ladder and to the sea. The eggs they did lay are now millions of tiny alewives. They can be easily seen while wading into the lake. In a few months these fish will grow to 4-5 feet long and follow the remaining mature alewives down the river to the open ocean.
The Alewife Festival Committee recognizes one of Damariscotta Mills’ beloved juveniles with a certificate of excellence for her 30-plus exemplary volunteer hours for the Damariscotta Mills fish ladder. Lillian Labrie has made and sold lemonade for each festival day for the past 4 years with all proceeds going to the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration Project. This year, she sold shirts and hats on Mother’s Day and over Memorial Day weekend during the fish run.
It’s never too early to be a volunteer. There is still plenty to do around the ladder.
