An Act To Designate the Arctic Charr as a State Heritage Fish
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0165
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: WATSON, PERRY, FINCH, KOFFMAN, WHEELER
Amends: 1 MRSA §212-A, 12 MRSA §12461

Legislative Document 
No. 165 
H.P.147 
House of Representatives, January 16, 2007 
An Act To Designate the Arctic Charr as a State Heritage Fish 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative WATSON of Bath. 
Cosponsored by Senator PERRY of Penobscot and 
'7J1~ /J7.17!I2C~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: FINCH of Fairfield, KOFFMAN of Bar Harbor, WHEELER of Kittery. 
Printed nil recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §212-A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 180, §1, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place: 
§212-A. State heritage fish 
1. Eastern Brook Trout. The eastern brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a state 
heritage fish. 
2. Arctic Charr. The subspecies of the arctic chaIT, Salvelinus alpinus oquassa, also 
known as blueback chaIT, is a state heritage fish. 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12461, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 180, §2, is amended to read: 
§12461. State heritage fish waters 
1. Adoption of initial list of state heritage fish waters. The commissioner shall 
adopt by rule a list of Aati'l'e brool( trollt state heritage fish waters composed of lakes and 
ponds that contain eastem brool( trollt any state heritage fish and have never been stocked 
according to any reliable records. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are major 
substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
2. Addition of waters to list. The commissioner may adopt rules to amend the list 
established in subsection 1 to add a lake or pond if that lake or pond meets criteria 
established by the commissioner for classifYing a lake or pond as Aati'l'e brook trollt state 
heritage fish waters. Rules adopted to add a lake or pond to the list established under 
subsection I are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
3. Removal of waters from list. The commissioner may by rule remove a lake or 
pond from the list established in subsection 1. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection 
are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
4. Stocking state heritage fish. The commissioner may not stock or issue a permit 
to stock fish in a lake or pond listed as Rati'.'e eroo\( trOttt '.\'ater state heritage fish waters 
under this section. 
5. Fishing restrictions. A person may not use live fish bait or possess live fish bait 
on a lake or pond listed as Aati,t'e brook trollt ' .... ater state heritage fish waters under this 
section. A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Salvelinus alpinus oquassa, a distinct subspecies of the arctic 
chaIT fish and known in Maine as the blueback chaIT, as a state heritage fish. It also 
requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to adopt by rule a list of all 
state heritage fish waters and requirements. 
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