WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu (R-NH) today (7/14) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $250,000 to further the conservation of anadromous fish habitat in the Merrimack River watershed. Anadromous fish are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean to grow into adults, and then return to fresh water to spawn.

  The resources would be applied by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests to expand its fish habitat conservation program in four tributaries of the Merrimack River – the Smith River, the Baker River, the South Branch of the Piscataquog River, and the Souhegan River. With Appropriations Committee approval on Thursday, the legislation moves to the full Senate for consideration in the weeks ahead.

Senator Gregg, former Chairman, and still a member, of the CJS Subcommittee, stated, “The pristine waterways of New Hampshire are home to a wide variety of fish species.  The Merrimack River provides an important habitat for the anadromous fish species and these funds will help efforts to preserve these ecosystems to allow fish stocks to grow.  I applaud the Society of the Protection of New Hampshire Forests for their efforts.”

Senator Sununu stated, “Several of our state’s rivers – including the Merrimack and its tributaries – serve as ecologically important breeding grounds for a variety of fish species. This funding will help the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests continue its valuable work to preserve these spawning grounds that are so important in the maintenance of fish stocks.”

Jane Difley, President Forester, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (Forest Society) stated, “We deeply appreciate the strong and effective support of Senator Gregg and Senator Sununu for watershed conservation funding through NOAA. Federal funding through the Great Bay Partnership and CELCP is helping protect some of the last best undeveloped land in coastal New Hampshire. Now, thanks to Senator Gregg’s and Senator Sununu’s belief in supporting innovative new efforts, federal funding is playing an important new role in protecting aquatic habitat in one of our state’s great inland watersheds -- the Merrimack River basin.”