30 Ways to help conserve Maine’s fisheries

The following quotes come from a recent post made on Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) website called, 30 Ways to help conserve Maine’s fisheries.

“3. Purchase a Maine Sportsman License Plate. These funds help support Maine’s fish hatcheries (50%), endangered species conservation (10%), a stronger landowner relations program (25%); and develops boat launches for public access to Maine’s inland waterways (15%).”

For those who don’t know where their sportsman’s plate money goes, this is a great summary. For the record, there is only one fish classified as endangered in Maine, redfin pickerel. Federally and critically endangered Atlantic salmon are two steps below, Priority 1 Species of Greatest Conservation Need, as are rare Arctic char. And no money goes to wild native fish.

“6. Dispose of unused baitfish on land or in the trash. Do not release any baitfish (dead or alive) into a water body.”

While MDIFW acknowledges that deliberately releasing baitfish is bad, they continue to defend the use of live fish as bait. As anyone who ever used bait knows, to use bait is to lose bait. Thankfully, Maine is moving in the right direction as evident by the recent North Region live bait ban by rule not exception.

“7. If the fish is within the legal limit, do not be afraid to harvest your catch. Anglers sometimes believe catch and release is the best way to improve a fishery. However, many fishing regulations are designed to improve fish growth and size quality, and they are only successful if fish are harvested by anglers.”

Encouraging harvest works against conservation to at least some degree as it ignores the aggregate impact of the masses. In this case, the comment is far too vague and broad, and implies that all regulations are science-based not social-influenced which is not the case.

While it’s one thing not to discourage harvest, is it really wise or necessary to encourage it? And using harvest to improve “fish growth and size quality” is as likely to fail as succeed as it is rarely that simple, and the problem is often a result of poor management decisions.

As we say, while you can harvest your way into trouble, you can rarely harvest your way out of it.

“10. Learn how to identify baitfish so you can make sure you’re using legal baitfish.”

When concerned anglers tried to ban the use of emerald shiners as bait in Maine, MDIFW opposed it due to the inability of staff to tell them from legal to use smelts. While they have since been banned, this shows just how hard identification can be and why self-trapped bait, a legal and common practice in Maine, is such a concern. It’s fair to assume this is how many nonnative minnows and roughfish, and at least some gamefish, were introduced into Maine waters.

“16. Never introduce any fish into Maine waters, it can alter the ecosystem forever and is illegal. This includes aquarium fish and plants. And remember, it is illegal to import any freshwater fish into the state of Maine without a permit from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.”

As most know, state fish and game agencies, MDIFW included, are responsible for more nonnative fish introductions than anglers. In many cases, they are still actively stocking nonnative fish, and in some cases on top of wild native fish.

To put this in perspective, Maine had just four historic populations of landlocked salmon. Today Maine has approximately 201 “principal” landlocked salmon fisheries, and salmon are “present” in another roughly 110 waters. There are also roughly 55 splake, 125 brown trout, and 25 rainbow trout principal fisheries. Most of these were state-sponsored introductions.

“21. Visit a fish hatchery to learn about Maine’s fish stocking program. Click here for fish hatchery hours and locations (please call ahead before you visit).”

This blatant promotion of hatcheries is disappointing, especially in a state like Maine with such a wealth of wild native fish.

“Remember from #7 that catching and releasing isn’t always the best way to improve fish size and the population. Many fishing regulations are designed to improve fish growth and size quality, and they are only successful if fish are harvested by anglers.”

And here MDIFW reiterates the need to harvest fish as a form of management. Again, is this in the best interest of the resource?

In fairness, the last eight bullets talk about proper fish-handling when fish are not being harvested. But sadly there is no mention of wild native fish.