Celebrating the New Howlett Brook Fishway

You know us – we are passionate about  restoring migratory pathways for sea-run fish species. Which is why we were so excited to recently celebrate the new Howlett Brook Fishway in Topsfield. This fishway will allow fish to access ponds further up the watershed that have already been designated as suitable spawning and rearing habitat for alewife. 

Thank you to Senator Bruce Tarr, Representative Kristin Kassner – and all of our other project partners who gathered with us to celebrate the completion of this new fishway. We were especially excited to hear from Dr. Michael Armstrong, Deputy Director of MA Division of Marine Fisheries. “Dam removal’s always the first choice, but it can’t always be done,” he said, “We have to get around dams, and fishways are the way to do it.”

Photos by Alison Colby-Campbell

Pictured here: Brian Kelder, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration; Jamie Belsito, Town Moderation of Topsfield; Bruce Tarr, Massachusetts State Senator; Kristin Kassner, Massachusetts State Representative; Dr. Michael Armstrong, Deputy Director, MA Div. of Marine Fisheries; Eric Cortell & Julia Wong, Landowners; Kevin Harutunian, Town Administrator, Town of Topsfield; Heidi Gaffney, Conservation Agent, Town of Topsfield. Photo by Alison Colby-Campbell

Massachusetts Senator Bruce Tarr

Massachusetts Senator Bruce Tarr

Massachusetts State Representative Kristin Kassner and IRWA Restoration Program Director Neil Shea

Massachusetts State Representative Kristin Kassner

Brian Searles and Michael Searles, IRWA Board Member

IRWA Restoration Restoration Program Manager Sarah Dawson and IRWA Environmental Education Emma Hughen

IRWA Board Member Kim Honetschlager and Will Finch

Emeritus IRWA Board Member Bobbi Whiting and long-time IRWA volunteer Bill Whiting

Pictured left: Julia Casto, IRWA Board Member

Massachusetts State Representative Kristin Kassner and IRWA Restoration Program Director Neil Shea

Dr. Michael Armstrong, Deputy Director at Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

Carla Villa, IRWA Engagement Manager; Massachusetts Senator Bruce Tarr; Neil McCoy, MA Division of Marine Fisheries; Dr. Michael Armstrong, Deputy Director at Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

Carla Villa, IRWA Engagement Manager; Massachusetts Senator Bruce Tarr; Neil McCoy, MA Division of Marine Fisheries; Dr. Michael Armstrong, Deputy Director at Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

IRWA Staff: Carla Villa, Sarah Dawson, Emma Hughen, Neil Shea, Erin Bonney Casey, Tracy Sopchak, Deborah Lindhal

Picture on the right: Michael Searles, IRWA Board Member

Emeritus IRWA Board Member Bobbi Whiting and long-time IRWA volunteer Bill Whiting

Massachusetts State Representative Kristin Kassner and Kevin Harutunian, Town Administrator of Topsfield

Chloe Mitchell, Legislative Aide for MA Representative Sally P. Kerans, Christina Eckert, Legislative Aide for MA Representative Kristin E. Kassner, Massachusetts State Representative Kristin Kassner,Kevin Harutunian, Town Administrator of Topsfield, and Carla Villa IRWA Engagement Manager

Julia Wong, Eric Cortell, and Ben Gahagan, Division of Marine Fisheries

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Mike Searles, IRWA Board Member, Brian Searles, and Dave Comb, IRWA Board Clerk

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