Maine State Heritage Fish Sign Initiative Update

Now that fishing season is upon us, the roads are dry, and the bugs have been knocked back a bit, volunteers have hit the woods and water to post informational signs to help protect and preserve Maine's pond-dwelling wild native brook trout. 

As you can see by the pictures below, the project is not all work and no play -- volunteers are getting some quality fishing time in while posting signs.  In fact, the project is a great opportunity, or excuse, to explore some new water.

We have improved our status reporting capabilities by adding some graphs to our campaign page.  The graphs will be updated weekly and posted so folks can keep up with what we are doing.  And as you can see by the data, while we still have a long way to go we have made some significant progress thanks to the efforts of NFC members and volunteers.

Special thanks to Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, North Maine Woods, The Nature Conservancy, Libby Camps, Maine NFC Chair Emily Bastian, and everyone else who has helped out with this important native fish initiative. 

Left to Right: MDIFW Warden Sgt. Spahr from Northwoods Law, former MDIFW Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen, The Maine Sportsman writer Bill Sheldon, and ME NFC Chair Emily Bastian and Bangor Daily News writer John Holyoke.

If you would like to learn more about this important native fish initiative, make a donation to the project, purchase a sign to help offset costs, adopt a sign or pond, volunteer to put some signs up, or simply keep abreast of what we are doing click here. 

This old warrior (note the healed scar on its flank) was caught by Maine board member Larry Bastian while posting signs at one of our State Heritage Fish ponds.  According to Larry, at roughly 20-inches and chunky it was the largest pond-dwelling brook trout he has ever caught in Maine.  A fitting reward for a hard-working volunteer... 

Letting people know where they are, why the place is so special, and what the law requires of them in order to help protect this irreplaceable resource