It is expected that specific milestones of the second phase will be accomplished sometime within the next thirty years. The final phase of the Program to be addressed in future Plans is the realization of full restoration as defined by the Commission. The Commission defines restoration as an ongoing process that will always require fisheries management with hatchery support. However, total annual adult returns may reach 1,000 fish in the lifetime of this Plan and eventually may exceed that figure by a magnitude or more in the future. Certainties in making such projections do not exist.
Atlantic salmon are a national birthright.
So, the most important benefit of the Restoration Program is the return of Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River. The Restoration Program currently offers anglers the opportunity to fish for domestic Atlantic salmon broodstock. Providing opportunities to fish for sea-run salmon is an as yet unrealized part of the Program mission. Salmon are enjoyed by many non-anglers. Popular activities include watching the fish pass through fishways, seeing the fish in the river, assisting with fry stocking, and visiting various facilities where young salmon are reared and where adults are held prior to spawning.