MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Understanding Sources of Mercury and other Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics in Penobscot River Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax)

MATOS Project Code: PRSMELT

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: April 2025 - December 2026

Project Description: The Penobscot River, located in mid-coast Maine, has a history of influxes of mercury and other bioaccumulative toxins into the system and the consumption risk of local fish species has increased. Although research has found high levels of contamination, little is known about where these species are being exposed. The current study aims to use acoustic telemetry to describe localized movements of spawning and post spawning adult rainbow smelt further north in their Atlantic range, the lower Penobscot River, so that we can identify (1) localized areas of rainbow smelt congregations, (2) factors that may contribute to their movements, (3) optimal habitat for spawning grounds, and (4) how observed movement patterns relate to known contamination zones. Broadly, these activities will contribute to a project in collaboration with the Penobscot Nation focused on examining potential contaminant exposure for diadromous fishes in the region.

Objectives:

Relate movement patterns to areas of known historical contamination
Identify environmental factors that correlate with rainbow smelt movements
Quantify migratory movement patterns of rainbow smelt

Management Benefits:

Identify priorities for restoration of rainbow smelt habitats
Increased awareness of health risks associated with rainbow smelt consumption

Principal Investigator:	Nathan Furey (University of New Hampshire)
Email:	Nathan.Furey@unh.edu

Point of Contact:	Sasha Milsky
Email:	Sasha.Milsky@unh.edu

Participating Organizations:

University of Maine
Penobscot Nation

Citations:

Furey, N.B., Milsky, S.R. 2025. Penobscot River rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) movements

UNH - Penobscot Rainbow Smelt