Support Maine's State Heritage Fish Waters
Photo courtesy of Cecil Gray.
Unlike most state wild trout programs, Maine’s State Heritage Fish program is a law not a policy. It is also the most widely applied wild or native trout program in the country.
Enacted in 2005, Maine’s State Heritage Fish law originally applied to never-stocked brook trout lakes and ponds only. It was amended in 2007 to include Arctic charr. It was amended again in 2014 to include lakes and ponds that had not been stocked in twenty-five years or more.
“Posting informational signs on Maine’s State Heritage Fish waters not only helps protect this irreplaceable resource, but it is a great excuse to fish some new wild native brook trout water. ”
Maine is the last stronghold for wild native lake- and pond-dwelling brook trout in the United States, accounting for more than 90% of the remaining intact populations. The number one threat to these wild native trout is invasive fish introductions, both game and bait species.
This initiative aims to help protect this ecologically, economically, socially, and recreationally important resource by trying to prevent the introduction of invasive fish species through bucket-biology and the illegal use of live fish as bait.
Over 575 of Maine’s self-sustaining brook trout lakes and ponds are protected under the State Heritage Fish law. A citizen-driven legislative action, the law prohibits stocking and the use of live fish as bait on so-designated waters. The goal of this project is to make anglers aware of the location of these waters, status, threats, and the laws in place to protect them.
According to several fish and wildlife professionals we spoke with, 20-30% of those found breaking the law do not know they are doing so. If we can prevent even 5% of the accidental and illegal use of live bait where it poses a threat to wild native brook trout, and save even one water from an invasive fish introduction, the project will be well worth the cost and effort.
With over 575 waters, and more being added each year, many of which need multiple signs, the material costs (signs and hardware) for this project will be in excess of $10,000. We have also had to purchase volunteer liability insurance.
The manpower requirements and costs for this project are immeasurable and beyond the reach of most state fish and game agencies. This includes time, gas, gate fees, camping fees, food, administration, etc., much of which is being absorbed by NFC members and volunteers.
THERE ARE many WAYS YOU CAN HELP
PURCHASE A SIGN: For a donation of $55 (which includes shipping) you can have your own Maine State Heritage Fish brook trout sign. A great addition addition to your camp, cabin, cottage, fly tying room, office, or business, your donation will help pay for roughly four signs. Click here to purchase a sign.
PURCHASE A DECAL: For a donation of $4.5 (which includes shipping) you can have your own Maine State Heritage Fish decal. A great way to promote this resource, your donation will help pay for hardware for roughly two signs. Click here to purchase a decal.
ADOPT A SIGN: For a donation of $20 you can have your name written on the back of a sign and be added to the list of project sponsors on our website. Your sign will be put up at a lake or pond by one of our volunteers. Your donation will help pay for roughly two signs. Click here to adopt a sign.
ADOPT A POND: For a donation of $20 per sign you can personally put up the sign(s) at your favorite State Heritage Fish lake or pond. Depending on access, waters will have between 1 and 5 signs. Write your name on the back of a sign, secure it as directed, take a selfie and send it in for inclusion in our online project photo gallery. You will also be added to the list of project sponsors on our website. Your donation will help pay for your sign(s) and one other. Email us at Info@NativeFishCoalition.org to learn more.
MAKE A DONATION: Make a random donation to help offset the cost of signs, hardware, and volunteer liability insurance. Every bit helps. Click Here to donate.
VOLUNTEER: We are looking for people to go into the field and put up signs. Signs and hardware will be provided along with landowner permission and instructions. It’s a rewarding experience.
Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine, fly fishing class posting a sign on a State Heritage Fish water in Elliottsville Plantation.
View the list of open State Heritage Fish Waters by county and sign up to volunteer to post signs:
Use an interactive map to zoom in and out, move around within your viewing area, and click on waters to get information and coordinates, as well as a link to sign-up to post the sign(s).
Once you have requested a pond(s), you will be emailed several documents explaining the process, giving you permission to pick up your signs and hardware and how to do so, and authorizing you to put the signs up.
Signs and hardware can be picked up at Sportsman's Alliance of Maine headquarters at 205 Church Hill Road in Augusta. Be sure to call ahead to SAM to make an appointment and remember to bring all your documents with you. We can also make arrangements to pick up supplies at L.L.Bean in Freeport.
PROJECT TIME-FRAME
It will take five years or more to get the bulk of waters posted, and we will never be able to get to all of them. By the time we post the majority of waters, we will have to circle back to replace faded, damaged, lost, vandalized, and stolen signs. As a result the project will never be completely "done." But even 75%, a very attainable goal, will be a huge step in the right direction.
PROJECT MILESTONES
first water posted
NFC founding member and Executive Director Bob Mallard at the first SHF sign posted. (Jeff Moore)
On May 20, 2018, NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard and long-time friend and current MA and NH NFC board member Jeff Moore took to the woods north of West Forks, Maine, to post the first batch of State Heritage Fish signs on waters Bob had fished for decades. The first water to receive a sign was the roadside Misery Pond in Misery TWP.
200th water posted
NFC National Chair Emily Bastion and Executive Director Bob Mallard, both NFC founding members. (Jeffrey Moore)
In late September 2019, NFC National Chair and founding Maine Chair Chair Emily Bastion and Executive Director Bob Mallard, both current Maine Advisory Council members, posted a State Heritage Fish sign on the 200th water to receive such, aptly named Lucky Pond, less than a year and a half into the project...
first waters posted on penobscot nation land
Another milestones reached in 2019 was the first postings of signs on Penobscot Nation land. This involved custom signs featuring the tribal seal and colors. NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard and NFC board member Jeff Moore posted 3 signs on 2 waters, another sign was left with a tribal member to post on a 3rd water.
first waters posted on state-owned land
In 2019, Emily Bastian and Bob Mallard posted the first signs on state-owned land managed by Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL). Like tribal-owned land, this involved custom signs with BPL’s logo and special colors to fit the “wilderness” theme of our public lands. NFC also provided painted mounting boards.
300th water posted
In mid June 2021, all-star volunteer team Leslie, Jim, and Matt Kelly posted a State Heritage Fish sign on a small water in northern Aroostook County, the 300th water to receive such, and less than three years into the project.
first waters posted on passamaquoddy land
Another milestone reached in 2021 was the first postings of signs on Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township land. This involved custom signs featuring the tribal seal and colors. Tribal staff posted 3 signs on 3 waters.
350th water posted
In May 2024, Libby Camps posted signs on the 350th water. The reason we have posted only 50 waters in the last 3 years is that all the easy waters are done and we are now working on the harder to get to lakes and ponds. This project will never be completely done as many waters are behind gates and in some cases we have been unable to obtain landowner permission.
500th sign posted
In mid-June 2024, volunter Brent West put up what was the 500th State Heritage Fish Water sign to be posted to date on a small pond in the upper Kennebec Valley. Kudos to Brent and everyone else who has helped support this important wild native fish initiative.
project status…
While the published volunteer hours and miles associated with this effort are impressive enough, many volunteers did not provide this data. This means that the in-kind contribution is likely much higher than that stated.
When adjusted for waters where NFC does not have permission to post signs, the numbers are even more impressive, especially when you consider the magnitude of the effort due to the size of Maine and the difficulty accessing backcountry waters.
North Maine Woods, Inc., has generously offered free day access ($10 per day for ME residents, $15 for nonresidents) to NFC volunteers and one guest for the purpose of putting signs up. The number of free days will be dictated by the number of waters being addressed. To learn more click here.
Carrying on a Maine Tradition...
Maine's State Heritage Fish waters are a national treasure. If we can save even one lake or pond from a costly-to-correct, or worse, impossible-to-correct, nonnative fish introduction, our cost and efforts are more than justified. Please help get these important informational signs posted.
Organizations That Have Supported the Initiative
(Click on Logo to Learn More)
This project was funded in part by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, in which proceeds from the sale of a dedicated instant lottery ticket ("Lucky Catch") are used to support outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation. For more information about MOHF click here.
commemorative beer
Our friends at Northwoods Brewing Company in New Hampshire released a beer commemorating our State Heritage Fish wasters in spring 2023. A percentage of sales go to NFC. Plese support them as they have supported wild native fish and NFC.
Emily Bastian, Chandler Woodcock, and David Trahan. (Bob Mallard)
George Smith fishing the Kennebec River. (Bob Mallard)