Belly-flopping fish adorn downtown Augusta as sturgeon art project unveiled

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • July 22, 2022

On Friday, 25 sturgeonwere installed by volunteers on Water Street as part of an arts initiative of the Augusta Downtown Alliance ahead of Saturday’s planned Sturgeon Stroll Art Walk. “We’re excited. It’s going to bring a big splash of color to the street,” Michael Hall, executive director of the Augusta Downtown Alliance, said. Sturgeon are an annual draw to the Kennebec, which has some of the best habitat for the ancient species in Maine and is home to both the endangered shortnose sturgeon and the Atlantic sturgeon. Every year, from late spring to summer, Atlantic sturgeon can be seen launching themselves into the air and belly-flopping on the river. No one is sure why.