WATCH: Gardiner witnessing spectacular event as hundreds of sturgeon spawn near downtown mainepublic.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mainepublic.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
River restoration projects along the Maine coast have allowed populations of migratory fish to rebound, and Sean Ledwin of the Maine Department of Marine Resources says fish runs are exploding this time of year.
The sucker-mouthed sea lamprey has been dismissed as grotesque and a threat to sport fish. But fisheries managers in New England and the Pacific Northwest are recognizing the ecological importance of lampreys in their native waters and are stepping up efforts to help them recover.