The Commission, although its mission is focused on stocked fish, may include in its final report a list of recommendations on these and other issues. In response to a request from SAM, the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council opened these new northern Maine waters. All are stocked with hatchery fish. Fall fishing opportunities require artificial lures and flies, and release of all fish. All the new cold-water lakes and ponds are stocked with hatchery fish.
Wild fisheries remain off limits in most places.
In other fishing news, the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council held hearings throughout the summer on proposed new fishing rules, and will act on those proposals this fall. Some proposals were innovative, such as those submitted by local angler groups to require the immediate killing of illegally stocked species when fishermen catch them. All new rules will be printed in a new fishing rulebook that should be available by the beginning of 2002. A small panel of anglers and Department officials will design the scope of the work and hire the national experts to conduct the assessment. It is hoped that other matching funds for the MOHF grant, if it is obtained, will come from local angler groups and fish and game clubs.