Yes.

The Penobscot River hosts the largest remaining population of wild Atlantic salmon in the United States. Federal agencies and academic research describe it as the country’s last remaining stronghold for the species.

In the U.S., Atlantic salmon once spawned in rivers as far south as Connecticut, but the species now survives naturally in only a handful of Maine rivers. The Gulf of Maine population was listed as endangered in 2000.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, salmon runs collapsed as dams blocked migration routes and rivers were altered by logging, industry and development. Recent restoration work in the Penobscot watershed — including dam removals and fish-passage improvements — aimed to rebuild the population.

Canada still has far larger numbers of Atlantic salmon, with hundreds of rivers across eastern provinces supporting runs. But many populations there are also declining, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and conservation groups.

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Sources

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries: Penobscot River Salmon Run Highest Since 2011
• The University of Maine: Movement and Survival of Atlantic Salmon Smolts in the Penobscot River, Maine
• National Park Service: Endangered Atlantic Salmon
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries: Atlantic Salmon 5-Year Review
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries: Agencies Release Final Recovery Plan for Gulf of Maine Population of Atlantic Salmon
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Canada’s national strategy to ensure the future of Atlantic salmon 2024-2036
• North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization: Efforts to Improve River Connectivity in Canadian Waters