Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Alewives swimming upstream during the spring migration

Every year, masses of fish return from the ocean to spawn in the freshwater where they were born. The alewives of Maine are one of these species of fish. Their journey is complicated by the addition of dams on the rivers they use to return inland from the ocean - and their passage was made easier by the addition of fish ladders in key locations. The fish in this photo are in the "queue" to access the fish ladder and continue along their travels.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Bradley, Maine, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 90D
Copyright: © Sandra Mitchell