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About Project SHARE
Project SHARE was formed in 1994 to conserve and enhance the Atlantic salmon populations of the five Downeast rivers. It has become a unique coalition of how energy can be focused from a diverse group of organizations and harnessed to benefit a species that was listed under the Endangered Species Act in November 2000.
SHARE has demonstrated how the spirit of the Act can be realized without duplication of the polarity that has occurred over species like the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker or the Northern Spotted Owl.
The Atlantic salmon once existed in 33 Maine riverine systems and ranged as far south in New England as the Connecticut River. The species was extirpated throughout most of its range during the late 1800's and early 1900's from habitat loss due to dams and pollution.
Since 1947, Maine has had a concentrated effort to restore Atlantic salmon to its historic range and with only modest success. Two major commercial fisheries from Greenland and Newfoundland have gone through moratoriums and buy-out since 1993 in hopes to provide the greatest potential for increasing the spawning runs of Atlantic salmon to Maine rivers.
In October of 1993, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) were petitioned by Restore to list the naturally spawning Atlantic salmon as endangered throughout its historic range in the United States. The final response was no with the adoption of the Conservation Plan as their position with the option to list if the State does not follow through on the plan.
Therefore, with the input of major businesses and industries, Project SHARE was officially chartered on June 27, 1994.
SHARE is based on the operating principle that participation is open to all stakeholders that can contribute to the conservation of the Atlantic salmon and its habitat. Key to building cooperative partnerships among the membership has been to focus on the resource, not the politics or implications of the listing process. Members are expected to abide by a set of operating guidelines based on cooperation, respect and commitment to improve salmon populations through voluntary processes.
SHARE has a Steering Committee (Board of Directors) and two standing committees; Management/Research and Education. Each committee chair is also represented on the Steering Committee.
By all standards of measure, Project SHARE has been a success. When the Federal Register was published the concept of Project SHARE received a strong endorsement and was an important factor in the Federal Services decision to recommend that the State of Maine assume the lead role in the management of activities that could impact the species. Governor King, by Executive order, established a task force charged to develop a Conservation Plan to address preservation of salmon and their habitat. Most of the members of the task force are also members of Project SHARE.
At this time we cannot guarantee that self-sustaining populations of wild stocks of Atlantic salmon will again flourish in the five-Downeast rivers. If the recovery of this species was dependent upon cooperation, a common understanding of priorities and a commitment to get the job done, then Atlantic salmon fishing in Maine will be a reality in the future.
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