NH NFC Opposes Proposed NH Magalloway River Regulations (NH)

The New Hampshire chapter of Native Fish Coalition opposed the proposed regulation change on the NH section of the Magalloway River. Currently restricted to artificial lures and flies only, New Hampshire Fish & Game is proposing to allow bait from June 1 through Labor Day.  The Magalloway River is an important migration corridor for large wild native brook trout moving throughout the Umbagog Lake system which includes the Magalloway, Rapid and Dead Diamond Rivers.  The Magalloway and Rapid are the two finest wild native trout rivers in the United States, and the Dead Diamond is one of the top five and the best in New Hampshire.  Bait comes with a high incidental mortality rate documented to be between 25-35%.  To allow this level of incidental mortality on this watershed puts the whole system at some level of risk, a risk that Native Fish Coalition sees as too high and unnecessary due to the numerous other opportunities in the area to fish with bait.  Click here to view the full NFC submission to NH Fish & Game.