State biologists urge boaters, anglers, and shoreline residents to respect two of Vermont’s most ecologically important — and often misunderstood — native species.

As Vermont’s warmer months bring more people to its lakes and rivers, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking the public to be mindful of two native species currently in critical phases of their life cycles: common loons nesting and raising chicks on the state’s lakes, and sea lamprey spawning in the Connecticut River and its tributaries.

Loons: Give them room to nest and raise their young

Few experiences rival hearing the haunting call of a loon or watching one glide through a protected cove — but getting too close can do real harm. Although loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005, they continue to face significant threats from human disturbance during the breeding season.

“If a loon is constantly swimming away from you, they can become stressed and may even abandon their young.” — Jillian Kilborn, Vermont Fish and Wildlife wildlife biologist

Eric Hanson, biologist with the Vermont Loon Conservation Project at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE), notes that loon chicks can be difficult to spot from a boat. He asks motorboaters to note where loon families are congregating and steer clear. Obeying no-wake laws within 200 feet of shorelines is also critical, as boat wakes can flood and destroy shoreline nests.

Anglers pose a particular risk as well. Loons will take live bait and lures, and a handful die this way each year. Hanson asks anglers to reel in for a few minutes if loons are diving nearby. Lead tackle is another serious concern: lead sinkers weighing half an ounce or less are already prohibited in Vermont, but larger tackle can still leach lead into the environment. Every year, Vermont loons die from lead poisoning after swallowing tackle.

How anglers can help loons

• Reel in briefly if loons are diving near your line
• Bring all fishing line home to prevent entanglement
• Switch to lead-free tackle; dispose of lead tackle at VCE collection tubes at 30+ boat access areas statewide
• Never intentionally feed loons — like bears, they must not learn to associate people with food

Shoreline property owners can also help by maintaining natural, shrubby, and forested areas along the water’s edge — providing nesting habitat and improving water quality for fish and aquatic insects that loons depend on.

Volunteers can help monitor loons through VCE’s LoonWeb platform. LoonMonitor lets participants follow loons throughout the season, while LoonCount — this year on July 18 from 8–9 a.m. — surveys all lakes over 20 acres simultaneously to track the statewide population. Financial support for loon conservation is also welcome through donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund, where every dollar leverages up to three in federal matching funds.

Sea lamprey: A native species worth protecting

Meanwhile, in the Connecticut River drainage, the department is asking anglers and the public not to disturb sea lamprey currently spawning in the river’s main stem and tributaries including the West, Williams, Black, and White Rivers.

This may come as a surprise to those familiar with the aggressive management of lamprey in Lake Champlain, where a non-native, invasive population is actively controlled. The Connecticut River population is a different story entirely.

“Sea lamprey are native to the Connecticut River basin and play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in both Vermont and New Hampshire.” — Lael Will, Vermont Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist

Adult sea lamprey that return from the ocean to spawn are non-parasitic — they don’t feed at all in freshwater — and die shortly after reproducing. Their carcasses cycle important marine nutrients back into freshwater ecosystems. Larval lamprey spend their first several years burrowed in sandy riverbeds, filtering organic material from the water. Around age five they transform, migrate to the ocean, and spend their adult years as parasites on marine fish — themselves becoming prey for marine mammals and seabirds.

Having existed for over 350 million years, sea lamprey have co-evolved with their oceanic hosts, and their Atlantic populations are considered in ecological balance.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife has been working to improve fish passage infrastructure throughout the Connecticut River drainage to help lamprey and other migratory species complete their journeys. In 2025, more than 17,000 sea lamprey passed the Holyoke Dam in Massachusetts, and more than 4,000 passed Vernon Dam — a sign that restoration efforts are working.

“Our goal is to continue to improve fish passage and flows on the river to not only help lamprey spawning, but to also support all migrating fish species,” said Will.

The species is managed under the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative, which includes four state agencies, two federal agencies, and public representatives.

If you see a sea lamprey

• Don’t disturb spawning lamprey or their nests in river gravel beds
• Leave lamprey carcasses in place — they’re a nutrient source for the river ecosystem
• Remember: Connecticut River lamprey are native and protected, not the same as the invasive Lake Champlain population

For more information on Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s fisheries and wildlife conservation programs, visit vtfishandwildlife.com or the Vermont Center for Ecostudies loon participation page.