Maine's State-Endangered Redfin Pickerel Get Informational Signs

The Maine chapter of NFC worked with Friends of Merrymeeting Bay to develop information signs denoting the possible presence of state-endangered redfin pickerel. The signs have been procured and posting in the field will begin shortly.

Redfin pickerel are the only fish listed as Endangered at the state level. Earlier, NFC discovered that while protected from harvest, or what is called “take,” under Maine Endangered Species Act (MESA), there were no regulations specific to redfin pickerel in the fishing rules which would lead anglers to believe that they were open to unlimited harvest.

NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard published two articles about the inconsistencies between MESA and the fishing regulations in regard to redfin pickerel, one stating the problem and one offering solutions. Maine NFC also met with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to discuss revising the fishing regulations to include a prohibition on harvesting redfin pickerel.

Our earlier efforts resulted in redfin pickerel and state-threatened swamp darter being specifically noted in the fishing rules as a non-targetable species. These signs will notify anglers of the law in regard to redfin pickerel while also requesting their help in identifying where they are found when accidentally encountered during angling.