For nearly a century the Westport Weston Family YMCA has been a careful steward of their Mahackeno property, off Wilton Road.
They own the woods — and the land under the water. In effect, they own Lees Pond.
Over the past few years, Camp Mahackeno staff have noticed fewer fish in the pond. (Fishing is part of the summer program — though every catch is released back in the water.)
Last year, Y officials worked with the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) to repair the fish ladder downriver. That would help.
Lees Dam, on the Saugatuck River (Photo/Scott Smith)
But when Y CEO Glen Hale learned that DEEP has a free restocking program, he realized much more could be done.
This morning, DEEP will bring 500 to 1,000 river herring — a type of alewife — to Lees Pond.
This stretch of the Saugatuck River will be restocked today. (Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
There will be many more happy campers this summer.
But the benefits go far beyond fishing.
Juvenile river herring eat plankton. That decreases algae, and makes the water cleaner.
Alewives are an important part of the food chain. Bass and bluefish eat them, so their numbers will increase. Then birds like bald eagles and osprey feast on those fish, keeping the food chain balanced.
Today’s restocking comes at a propitious time. Westport schools are on spring break, so dozens of youngsters at the Y’s vacation camp will take part.
They’ll have their own nets to help with the project. And DEEP biologists will teach them about river herring, and the entire food chain.
River herring
Hale is excited about the restocking, and proud of the Y’s part in it.
He hopes to make it a regular occurrence.
Young fishermen — and older ones too — will be happy to hear that.
Bass, bluefish, bald eagles, osprey and many other forms of wildlife will too.
(“06880” regularly covers the environment, our waterways — and the YMCA, Westport youth, and much more. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Beautiful.