Illegal fish stocking on the rise
9/26/09 | 29 comments

Illegal fish stocking on the rise


By Diana Bowley
BDN Staff

MONSON, Maine — Just as poachers play havoc on the state’s wildlife, “bucket biologists” are altering the fisheries in Maine’s waters, according to experts.

“The introduction of invasive species is rampant in the state,” Department of Inland Fisheries biologist Tim Obrey of the Greenville regional office confirmed Friday. These invasive species are being introduced by people who take the fish from one pond in buckets and move them to another body of water.

“The illegal introduction of any fish into any Maine water is a Class E crime, punishable by fines of up to $10,000 because it is such an insidious act,” Obrey said in an e-mail Friday. Anyone with information about such an introduction should call Operation Game Thief at 800-253-7887.

While southern and central Maine waters have had their share of invasive species, the Moosehead Lake area has not been immune, according to Obrey. In the past two years, biologists have confirmed the presence of smallmouth bass in the Upper Moose River drainage, including Big Wood Pond and Brassua Lake, and largemouth bass have been confirmed at Center Pond in Sangerville and most recently in Hebron Lake in Monson.

An angler’s report prompted biologists to electrofish Hebron Lake last month to determine if the largemouth bass had established itself in the lake. In electrofishing, an electric device is used to stun fish before they are caught. “We were surprised at how many we saw [in Hebron],” Obrey said. A total of 49 largemouth bass varying in age were taken from three areas of the pond, he said.

Obrey worries about the effect largemouth bass will have on the salmon production for Sebec Lake and its affect on the lake’s smallmouth bass. He said the illegal stocking not only will affect Hebron but the largemouth bass will move down the outlet, into Monson Pond and into Wilson Stream, where about 95 percent of the wild salmon production for Sebec occurs.

Largemouth bass compete with cold-water game fish for food and space. A largemouth bass is reported to produce thousands of eggs compared with cold-water fish such as salmon, brook trout and lake trout that produce a few hundred eggs, according to biologists.

“The spread of ‘invasives’ can have a domino effect,” Obrey noted. New sources of invasive populations can increase the odds of another nearby water being illegally stocked with the invasive fish, he said. As an example, Obrey said pike were confirmed in the 1970s in North Pond and they now have a presence in more than 30 bodies of water in the Belgrade Lakes region.

“The recent introduction of northern pike in Pushaw Lake now threatens many waters in the Penobscot and Piscataquis drainages in a similar fashion,” Obrey said.

Obrey said introductions of invasive species threaten the state’s native fish, in particular brook trout. Maine is one of the last bastions in the eastern United States for wild brook trout.

The public can help protect native fish through prevention, the biologist said. “People need to understand that there are very serious ecological consequences to introducing invasive species and they are almost always permanent,” Obrey said. While biologists can try to reclaim small bodies of water by killing the fish, an expensive proposition, there is little that can be done with large bodies of water.

dianabdn@myfairpoint.net

876-4579

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Comments
29 comments on this item
On 9/26/09 at 2:56 AM, LarrySG wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

People who use this practice are just plain ignorant of the damage they will cause, or maybe, just plain ignorant.

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On 9/26/09 at 5:15 AM, Stevey_Dee wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Largemouth bass are taking over....Too late. Washington Cty Waters are loaded with them.

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On 9/26/09 at 5:42 AM, plumcreek_save_maine wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

MONSON UP IN THIS MOTHA

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On 9/26/09 at 5:54 AM, wilda_ wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

You should be using fifth grade language to explain this problem.

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On 9/26/09 at 6:15 AM, augustagoverned wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think we're talking about perpetrators who are not only ret*rded, but who are just plain malicious. They are ruining our waters out of spite. Each one of these criminals should be "stocked", attached to a heavy block and an ankle bracelet, in a deep lake full of invasive species.

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On 9/26/09 at 7:31 AM, Bangorean wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

We all KNEW who put white perch in Moosehead back in the early '80's, and is done to benefit a business. So kids could catch fish from the shore at a particular location. What ever happened to prosectuing those morons? I'll bet that's the first thing investigators look at. Who beneifts from a fish ANY

FISH at the end of the line.

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On 9/26/09 at 8:27 AM, freedomfighter wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

A class E crime is not a serious crime. It's more like a speeding ticket I believe, with no threat of jail. I don't see why this couldn't be considered a more serious crime and make it a felony .

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On 9/26/09 at 9:26 AM, havvey wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Go try to catch some of these pike and bass and I will come up emty handed just like trout or any other fish!!!

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On 9/26/09 at 9:26 AM, Mlktsledder wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

This "bucket brigade" story is just political cover for what the Penobscot River Restoration Trust wants to do at the Howland Dam. Make no mistake about it, that bypass will allow the Pushaw pike to "illegally introduce" themselves into upstream waters. This BDN story is essentially saying, see it's hopeless, invasive species will get stocked anyway via the good ole boys. Let us have our Howland Bypass.

So the Penobscot River Restoration Trust is breaking 2 laws: A US Presidential order against stocking invasive species as well as a State law against the same. And this Howland Bypass is still going through in spite of this. You've got to be kidding me! I would say we should make introducing an invasive species a felony. There's some enviros in this State I'd like to see locked up.

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On 9/26/09 at 10:28 AM, Woody1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

MONSON UP IN THIS MOTHA - Care to translate this into English?

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On 9/26/09 at 11:13 AM, Stevey_Dee wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

havvey, you need to learn how to fish..

V/R

SCSH

Tele

Bassmaster

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On 9/26/09 at 11:14 AM, Stevey_Dee wrote: Click here to view hidden comment         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
On 9/26/09 at 11:44 AM, Northwoods_Maine wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

freedomfighter - I agree with you. A class "E" crime and the potential penalties that go with it are just not strong enough to discourage this practice. Raise the penalties then post warning signs at every state approved boat launch in the state. Then find a violator and prosecute to the fullest extent the law allows - maybe that would send a message out to other would-be violators. Also, increase the chances of actually catching someone violating the law by advertising larger rewards for anyone turning someone in that leads to a conviction. There clearly aren't enough wardens to be effective in stopping this, the state needs to utilize John Q Public for assistance.

Also, it seems to me that the proliferation of these bucket biologists correlates to the growth in built in live wells in boats. Maybe this state and others could lobby the boat building industry to eliminate livewells.

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On 9/26/09 at 12:19 PM, dtmgdad wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Harsher punishment or penalties would be a good deterent. Also, how about we stop the state from stocking a man made breed of fish that doesn't belong anywhere SPLAKE.

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On 9/26/09 at 2:59 PM, gw2kpro wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Back in the day, states had laws like "If you catch someone stocking fish illegally you may shoot them on site".

Something along those lines would probably take care of the problem, wouldn't clog up the court system, and would help cull the gene pool in the state.

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On 9/26/09 at 4:10 PM, hooligan wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

“People need to understand that there are very serious ecological consequences to introducing invasive species and they are almost always permanent,”

Just like government...an "invasive species".

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On 9/26/09 at 4:21 PM, hooligan wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Here's what makes no sense.

Government biologists have freely introduced non indigenous species into practically all Maine waters since the fifties. Now, I agree they went to college and all that stuff, and they might be a bit smarter than the rest of us.

How can they possibly know the full term consequences of ANY transfer of one species from its indigenous location to another?

Fact is....these ecosystems have been in place since the last ice age and no amount of human knowledge and study will every answer all questions. Fact is the laws of natural selection will prevail and nature will recover.

I do not advocate breaking the law, nor do I advocate introducing species from one location to another; but for these biologists to claim they have all the answers is ludicrous.

I always chuckle at the term 'forest management' or 'wildlife management'. How in sam hill does anyone "manage" something that has already managed itself for millions of years with 100% success? A better term is 'sustained exploitation'. We don't "manage" natural resources....we check ourselves to avoid over exploitation so that we may exploit it longer.

Who do they think they're fooling?

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On 9/26/09 at 6:54 PM, outdoorman wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Well said hooligan. Living on an Atlantic Salmon river I am quite familiar with the current "management program" put into place. They can't restore the Salmon runs but millions are being raised in aquaculture pens all up and down the coast of Maine. Must be because those ones are an invasive species also. Actually, they can't be. Aquaculture began by obtaining their eggs from state hatcheries. Therefore, the feds are using the genetic code of the salmon to hide behind so the rivers are not restored so millions of federal dollars will continue to be pumped into a lost cause with no direction.

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On 9/26/09 at 9:05 PM, LilMikey wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I do not condone people moving fish from one location to another and in some cases the wrong transplant could possibly ruin a fishery. But for the most part, many species in bodies of water co-exist with little impact on the system. In many lakes trout and salmon do nicely with largemouth and smallmouth bass. A few of the lakes in Belgrade have monster pike yet the bass are huge too along with white perch and darn good sized crappie.

No....people should NOT be transplanting fish for their own pleasure or stupidity, pick one, and the fines or the laws should be made severe enough to punish those who attempt it. Abolishing livewells won't do it either and livewells have their purpose..to keep fish alive for those who do practice catch and release during bass tournaments..etc.

As long as there are bozos who will do things like this, it will happen. I don't know the answer on how to totally prevent it from being done but we, the fishermen and women should report any violation we see and make sure it is enacted on.

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On 9/27/09 at 5:04 AM, ranger wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Class E Crime: If you are found guilty of a Class E crime you can be sentenced to up to 6 months in jail, however if its your first offense you are most likely to get a fine.

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On 9/27/09 at 9:54 AM, swifty wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

O.k. so, what ever happened to the guy they caught selling Salmon and Brook trout out of his bath tub in Dover a few weeks ago? Seems as though I remember something about Live species as well as John Q. turning him in to the Wardens .These are the guys we need to cull. Make the punishment for manipulating natural populations so sever people wont be tempted anymore..I personally have had enough of lame excuses and dismissed charges for the criminal acts . TURN THEM IN ! thats what operation Gametheif is for isnt it ? Its getting so fishing in Maine is more of a political statement than a recreational activity..............................

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On 9/27/09 at 11:32 AM, milesram wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Hey, Telefunkinu47,

I know about the largemouth in Pocomoonshine, Crawford, Round, Hadley's and Boyden Lakes; are they spread out further than these lakes? I hope to hell some fool hasn't introduced them to the St. Croix watershed................

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On 9/27/09 at 11:36 AM, outlaw wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

its sad some idiots have to spoil it for the rest of us,but once again its too late to rectify the problem sad but true .peace

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On 9/27/09 at 3:03 PM, LilMikey wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

$50,000 fine AND 6 months in jail. If you can't pay the fine, then you stay in jail till you do. Mandatory. Don't play games if it is that serious of an issue to the balance of the lakes and river systems.

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On 9/27/09 at 4:02 PM, happycamper1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Illegal fish stocking is just another example of the explosion of people with no regard for Maine or the "way life should be". Bucket stockers, real estate developers like Plum Creeps, wind developers like FoulWind do not give a crap about anything but the almighty dollar. Ruin the fishing, hunting and scenery then move on to somewhere else. If more people would care and get involved, there might be hope for our great state.

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On 9/28/09 at 8:48 AM, Stevey_Dee wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

On 9/27/09 at 11:32 AM, milesram wrote: Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Hey, Telefunkinu47,

I know about the largemouth in Pocomoonshine, Crawford, Round, Hadley's and Boyden Lakes; are they spread out further than these lakes? I hope to hell some fool hasn't introduced them to the St. Croix watershed................

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I heard even Bog lake has them.

I've seen 21 and 22 inch large mouth come out of the Pokey lake region.

I'm sure bigger have been caught.

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On 9/28/09 at 12:02 PM, ronfromdowneast wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Telefunkinu47: send me your E-mail address and I'll send you a pic of the 24+ inch almostt 9 pound largemouth

(released) I took out of the East Machias River from my canoe.

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On 9/28/09 at 1:04 PM, milesram wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Telefunkinu47 - email me at milesalvah@myfairpoint.net

It will be interesting talking with you some more... I know Pokey very well...

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On 9/28/09 at 2:57 PM, BeavisJSmithThe3rd wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Bangorean.who did introduce white perch into moosehead?

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