PENOBSCOT BAY

BY
JOHN DELANEY
GNM 2129
PENOBSCOT BAY:

• STATE of MAINE
• LATITUDE 44.11° N
• LONGITUDE 68.55° W
• 435m from CAMPUS
SOURCE:

• PENOBSCOT RIVER

• BAY FORMS at
STOCKTON SPRINGS
• MORE THAN 1800 ISLANDS
• DIVIDED BY ISLESBORO
& NORTH HAVEN ISLANDS
FORMATION:
• DROWNED RIVER VALLEY
• FORMED AS A RESULT OF SEA-LEVEL
RISE 11,000 YEARS AGO
• BEGINNING OF HOLOCENE EPOCH/END OF
ICE AGE
• FILLING-IN OF EXTENT OF PENOBSCOT RIVER
• EXTENSIVE GLACIATION & EROSION OF BEDROCK
CLIMATE:

• PREVAILING SUMMER SOUTHWEST WIND

• MILD SUMMER TEMPERATURES < 80° F
• FOGGY CONDITIONS COMMONPLACE
• WINTER TEMPERATURES AROUND 10° F
• NOR’ EASTERS ARE A WINTER
DISTURBANCE
GULF OF MAINE GYRE:

• COLD WATER SEAWATER = HIGHER OXYGEN LEVELS

• HIGH LEVELS OF PHYTOPLANKTON
• STRONG INFLUENCE ON MARINE LIFE
• COD & MACKEREL IN 18TH CENTURY
• SWITCHED TO FISH THAT COULD BE CANNED
(SALMON, SARDINES & LOBSTER)
• BAY SALINITY IS ‘WELL-MIXED’
BY THE NUMBERS:

• WATERSHED SIZE IS 8,570 SQ/M

• ESTUARY SIZE IS 435 SQ/M
• DEPTH AT GULF of MAINE 330 FT
• DEPTH AT SEARS ISLAND 65 FT (OVER 40 MILES)
• TIDAL RANGE 8.5 FT to 14 FT
• MEAN DAILY OUTFLOW 12,820 FT³/S
MAINE FISHERIES 21ST CENTURY
 In 2011, 25% of the total value of the state’s fish landings and
30% of the total lobster value were landed in Penobscot Bay towns
Lobster Fishing from a Dory 1900
HUMAN IMPACTS:

• DAMS
• OVER FISHING
• POLLUTION
• CLIMATE CHANGE
VEAZIE DAM
CONSTRUCTED 1913

BLOCKED ROUTE FOR

SALMON, SHAD AND
OTHER SPECIES

2013: DISMANTLING
OF DAM

BIODIVERSITY WILL
IMPROVE IN THE BAY
1966: ALL SHELLFISH BEDS
CLOSED
DUE TO POLLUTION

CAUSE: UNTREATED SEWAGE

SEA SURFACE TEMP.
RISE SINCE 1970: 2°F

8 INCH SLR SINCE 1912

MORE STORMS, WETTER

WARMER CONDITIONS

LOBSTER LIFE CYCLES

ALREADY ALTERED
CONSERVATION:

• MARINE INVASIVE SPECIES NETWORK

• MAINE CENTER FOR COASTAL FISHERIES
• FRIENDS OF SEARS ISLAND
• MARINE AQUACULTURE INNOVATION CENTER

http://www.penbay.org/baygroups.html
NOAA: HABITAT FOCUS AREA

• PENOBSCOT RIVER WATERSHED

• IMPROVE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
• IMPROVE HUMAN COMMUNITIES
• FLOOD FORECASTING
• PROTECT COASTAL & MARINE AREAS
ESTUARNE HABITATS:

• EELGRASS
• KELP
• ALGAE

• SALT MARSH
• CATTAIL MARSH
• BEACH SEDGE
• MUDFLATS
SOME SHELLFISH AND FINFISH

• CLAMMING- JUST LIKE IN BARNEGAT

• ROCK CRAB- BYCATCH OF LOBSTER INDUSTRY
• OYSTERS & MUSSELS- MOSTLY AQUACULTURE
• SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS
• HORSESHOE CRABS

• HADDOCK, COD, HERRING, LUMPFISH, FLOUNDER

• BLUEFISH, STRIPED BASS, MACKEREL

*VITAL NURSERY ENVIRONMENT*

REFERENCES
http://www.mainecoastguide.com/r4/r4.html

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/mf1751

http://www.penbay.net/

http://www.penbay.org/pbfish.html

https://infogalactic.com/info/Penobscot_Bay

http://www.penobscotriver.org/content/4004/the-river

http://climatechange.umaine.edu/files/Maines_Climate_Future.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penobscot_Bay

https://www1.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/focusarea/bagaduce_river_focus_area.pdf

https://penobscotbaypress.com/multimedia/gallery/2015/oct/22/focusing-on-local-ecology/#.WPosIKK1s2w

https://www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/fisheries/history-fisheries-maine

http://www.islandinstitute.org/sites/default/files/Threatened%20Bay%204-9-13.pdf