The Connecticut River is a habitat to several species of anadromous and catadromous fish. The fishlift at HG&E’s Robert E. Barrett Fishway helps migrating fish over the dam. It was the first and most successful fish lift on the Atlantic coast.
Anadromous Fish
An anadromous fish is one that is born in fresh water, spends most of its life in the sea and returns to fresh water to spawn. Every spring, usually around late April, the American Shad, Blueback Herring, and Sea Lamprey migrate upstream in the Connecticut River from their ocean homes to spawn.
Catadromous Fish
A catadromous fish does the opposite of an anadromous fish - it lives in fresh water and enters salt water to spawn. An American Eel is an example of a catadromous fish found in the Connecticut River.
Rare Species
We can preserve the special nature of the Connecticut River by thoughtfully sharing it with the plants and animals that call it home, such as: Shortnose Sturgeon, Yellow Lamp Mussel, Bald Eagle, and The Puritan Tiger Beetle