BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 24, 2021
Nothing threatens Maine’s wild native fish, and fishing in general, more than nonnative fish introductions. Nonnative fish alter aquatic ecosystems considerably, and often permanently. And once introduced, they can spread throughout a watershed, infecting more waters. The deliberate stocking of fish by anglers is illegal, and the folks doing it know they are breaking the law — they just don’t care. Far more needs to be done. The deliberate illegal use of live fish as bait is another problem, but it is not easy to address as those doing it are knowingly violating the law. The accidental illegal use of live fish as bait has the same effect as the deliberate illegal use. Another form of nonnative fish introductions that is as ecologically harmful as bucket biology and the use of live fish as bait is the state-sponsored stocking of nonnative fish. When it comes to moving fish around, we need to stop trying to play God. And this means state agencies as well as anglers. ~ Bob Mallard