Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Summer 1981

MAINE

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FISH AND \VILDLIFE

SUMMER

1981 $1 .00

MAINE

INSIDE

FISH AND WILDLIFE

Deer Facts Of Life

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Chesler F. Banasiak

Maine Fishery Regions: The Penobscot

5

Sr even A. Timpano

Warm Weather Woes

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Garerh S. Anderson

From The Fly Tying Bench: THE WHITE WULFF

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Perer G. Walker

CRAPPIE!

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Ted Bradsrreer

KID-BITS

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The Common Loon: More Than A Symbol Of Wilderness

18

Per er A. Cross

Those Telltale Rings!

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Fred M. Trasko

Acid RainThe Invisible Threat

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Terry A. Haines

Guidelines To Fish Stocking In Maine

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Fish and Wildlife Briefs

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Vol. 23 , No. 2

Summer 1981

Governor Joseph E. Brennan

Department of Inland Fisherie and Wildlife Glenn H . Manuel J. William Peppard Kenneth H. Anderson David 0. Locke John F. Mar h Lyndon H . Bond Peter C. Brazier Robert W. Boettger William C. Mincher W. Thoma Shoener C layton G. Grant Henry Sleeper Lorenzo J. Gaudreau Alfred L. Mei ter

Commissioner Deputy Commissioner Director, Planning and Co-ordination Superintendent of Hatcheries Chief Warden Chief, Fishery Division Business Manager Chief, Wildlife Division Director, Regulations Director, Public Information Chief, Engineering Division Acting Chief, Realty Division Director. Recreational Sa/et) and Registration Chief Biologist, A tlantic Salmon Commission

Advisory Council Rodney W. Ro , Chairman Brownville, Maine Robert E. Moore Ralph L. Noel

Auburn

Casco

George E. Prentis

Denni L. Smit h

Rumford

Q((er Creek

Nat han Cohen

Alva S. Appleby

Ea tport

Skowhegan

THE COVERS Fronl: The common loon, ubject of the article beginning on page 18, is strikingly captured in this nesting shot taken by Fred L. Knapp, Jr. of Princeton.

Inside Fronl: One of the mo t appealing of Maine woods babie is the whitetailed fawn . With a warm spring for birth, and a pleasant ummer, spotted creature like this will grow to be the beautiful adult white-tails we ee eyeing us from the edge of the wood . Photo by Bill Cross.

Inside Back: The e two Penob cot River angler , Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Mallett of Lincoln, are no ordinary Atlantic almon fishermen. Ivan caught the first bright Atlantic from the river's Bangor Pool May I, and the couple traveled to Washington, D.C. to present the fish (weighing in at eight pounds even) to Vice President George Bush. Thi photo, taken by Paul Fournier ome time after the Malletts returned, show them fishing from their traditional, and ancient, peapod rowboat, working the waters below Veazie Dam. Back: A typical loon nest, located on the ground near the edge of a pond. If you should come upon one of these nests in the wild, please do not disturb!

Photo by Bill Cross.

Franci D. Dunn

Pa((en

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W . Tho m as Shoener , Editor Th o ma J . Chamber lain, Managing Editor Tho m a L. Carbone, Photographer Patricia J . Hogan, Editorial Assistant

MA INE FI SH AN D WI L DLIFE (ISSN 0360-005 X) i publ ished qua rt erl y by t he Maine Dept. of Inland Fis herie and Wildl ife, 284 State St., Sta tion 41 , Aug usta , ME 04333 , under Appropriation 4550. Subscription rate to U.S . zi p code addres es: $3.50 for o ne year; $6.50 for two years; $9.50 for th ree years. No sta m ps, plea e . Second clas postage pa id at Aug u ta, ME 04330. Š Mai ne Dept. o f Inl and Fi sheri es and Wildli fe, 1981.

Perm iss ion to repri nt text material i gra nt ed, pro vided proper credit is given to the author a nd to MAI NE F ISH AN D WI LDLIFE. Clearance must be o bt ai ned fro m arti t and photograp hers to reproduce credi ted ill u tratio ns.

POSTMASTER: If undeliverable, do not return. Wh en changing add re 'sub criber ho ul d end magazin e mai ling label, o r all in for matio n from it, a nd new mai lin g address, to: Circulation Secti on, Main e Fi h and W ild life Dept., 284 State St., Sta. #41 , Augu ta, ME 04333 . Use cha nge fo rm in th is iss ue, or POD Form #3578 ava il able at yo ur local post office . Allow eight week fo r change to ta ke effect. Sorry, but we canno t replace i ue lo t t hrough fai lure to give adequate notice of addre change.

Deer Facts of Life

By Ch~ster F. Banasiak Big Game Research Leader

Photo i:' by Leonard Lee Rue 111

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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POTTED FAWN frisking alongside a worried doe may impress individuals in various ways. To the doe, the fawn may be a burden unmentioned by that handsome eight-point buck during their carefree hours together last fall. To most of us, the spotted lamb typifies nature's many enjoyable gifts to Maine. Others, in addition, see the fawn as a recruit. It and its newly arrived relatives represent replacements for annual losses from our deer herd.

As replacements, our fawn crops hold the key to sustained deer populations in Maine. Therefore, a brief review of reproduction may be of interest to all of us concerned with Maine's most popular game animal.

The highlights which follow summarize averages from statewide studies over a period of many years. As in most biological measures, however, annual and regional differences commonly occur.

Breeding among northern whitetailed deer normally occurs in the fall, and evidently peaks during mid-November in Maine. Does are receptive to mating for only a short time, twenty-four hours or less, during each heat. If not bred successfully, they may experience three heat periods at about 28-day intervals.

Pregnancy averages about 200 days, so fawns are usually born in late spring and early summer. Our records indicate that most fawns in Maine are dropped during June, but earlier and later births are not uncommon.

Males normally do not breed until their second fall. In contrast, some of their more advanced sisters do breed before they are a year old. In an early Maine study of deer ovaries, 24 percent of 56 yearling does showed evidence of having been bred as fawns.

Higher rates of breeding among fawns have been reported from other states. The same Maine study indicated a breeding success of 81 percent among yearling does and 96 percent among older females. Considering the age ratios of our .female population, a pregnancy rate of 72.1 percent among all-age females was calcu-

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

lated. Number of eggs shed per pregnant doe averaged 1. 7, to give a potential fawn crop estimate of 123 fawns per 100 all-age females (72.1 x

1. 7).

Number of young per pregnant doe also varies with age. Does bred during their first year usually carry only one fawn; twins and triplets have been reported, however. Adult does may carry from one to four fawns, but twins are the most common. Among 770 pregnant does of all ages examined by biologists and wardens (most of these deer were highway or dogcaused mortalities), 34 percent carried one, 63 percent carried twins,

and 3 percent bore triplets. In all, 1,301 developing fawns were found, making an average of 169 fawns per 100 pregnant does. More recent ( 1969-79) records for 1,743 fem ales of all ages examined during the months of January through June showed 67 percent pregnant and an average, again, of 169 embryos per 100 pregnant does.

Based on the 1969-79 embryo data, we can expect an average production of about 113 fawns per 100 does in our statewide herd (.67 x 169). The earlier mentioned study of deer ovaries showed egg shedding rates of 123 per 100 does. Since different deer

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and years were involved in the two studies , and we normally expect fewer embryos than eggs shed, the two estimates of potential fawn production check out reasonably well.

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ITH A HERD composed of about equal numbers of males and females , the potential fawn crop of 113 fawns per 100 does represents a 57 percent increase over the wintering herd. Unfortunately, we usually do not realize that full gain. Fawn:doe ratios in the fall harvest for the years 1969-79 averaged 91: 100, about 20 percent less than the potential. What happens to fawns we lose is not definitely known. Nevertheless, we have some hint of what could be happening.

For one thing, late spring and summer losses may be weighted

Winter severity and duraation are important factors in deer survival and fawn rearing success.

against fawn s . It' s also likel y that more fawn s than adult does are taken in the fall without being regi stered.

Al so, fawn s may be spared by hunters selecting adult deer. Those practices undoubtedl y account for some of the fawn s which fail to appear in samples of the kill.

Probably more important is an actual loss due to failure of the newborn fawns to survive. When does are poorly nourished, their ability to produce and raise healthy, vigorous young diminishes. In feeding trials in Michigan, deer on moderate to high nutritional rations during winter and spring lost only 7 percent of the fawns carried. In contrast, does on low winter but high spring nutritional diets lost 35 percent of their fawns. Losses increased to more than 50 percent among does subject to low value winter food and moderate to low quality spring forage. In Maine, low fawn rearing success can be expected following prolonged severe winters. Our

most recent example occurred in 1978 when 77 fawns: 100 does appeared in the fall harvest,. That represented a loss of about one-third of the potential fawn crop.

Winter severity and duration both have major effects on deer nutritional status and fawn rearing success. Deep snows can restrict deer mobility and interfere with feeding. Furthermore, low temperatures speed up the use of the animals' fat reserves to maintain body heat. For the pregnant does, arrival of spring places an additional demand on them because the fetuses they carry begin rapid development during the final one-third of the gestation period. If the fresh, highly nutritious, green growth of spring is delayed by winter-like conditions lasting through April, does may not be able to fully meet the nutritional demand imposed. Undernourished newborn fawns may be too small or weak to nurse properly, or the stressed does may not be able to produce enough milk immediately after birth. Low survival among the newborns is the result.

Although the nutritional needs during the winter-spring period had been emphasized, all seasons are important. Summer habitat must provide the high energy food required for lactating does. Similarly, high nutritional level foods during late summer and fall permit physiological reconditioning for the breeding season and accumulation of fat reserves that can be drawn upon during the winter.

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HIS RELATIONSHIP between nutrition and reproduction has been demonstrated not only in regard to fawn survival but in ovulation rates and breeding incidence as well. The lesson is quite clear. If we want maximum productivity, our does must be able to obtain the quantity and quality of food necessary to maintain a high nutritional level. Sound deer management, therefore, must strike a balance between the number of deer we would like to see and the number our land is capable of feeding adequately. •

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

The East Branch of the Penobscot , looking downriver from the midpoint of Matagamon Lake Dam.

The Penobscot

By Steven A. Timpano Environmental Coordinator

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HE PEN OB COT FISHERY REGION, as presently defined, encompas es part of Penobscot, Piscataquis, Aroostook, Hancock, and Washington counties. Creation of this new region in 1974 was accomplished by annexing portion of three existing region -Moo ehead, Grand Lake, and Fi h River Lakes ( ee excellent regional articles publi hed respectively in Spring 1971, Winter 1971-72, and Spring 1973 is ues of Maine Fi h and Game). The Penobscot regional headquarters are located at Cobb Hatchery in Enfield, near Cold Stream Pond.

Reasons for creating thi seventh region were several: fringe area of the three existing regions in the area often weren't receiving the management attention they deserved or needed; travel time and expense for management were e ce ive; and formation of the new region furthered a department goal to combine fisherie , wildlife, and law enforcement offices under one regional roof, a move which had already been made in other part of the state.

The Game (now Wildlife) Di vision had maintained a seventh regional headquarter at Patten for many year ; thi wa finally completely transferred to the Enfield location only la t year. Al o, much of the area in question had been managed for fi herie purpose from an Orono office in the 1950 , then plit up and added to the three surrounding region when the Orono office wa clo ed.

The 1974 move to create the Penob cot Region was the

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

result of a long period of departmental planning and internal rearrangement.

The overlying theme for this region is, aptly enough, the Penobscot Ri ver drainage, although the headwaters of the Ea t Branch and much of the West Branch are actually outside regional boundarie . Other river sy terns within the region are the upper Aroostook, the upper St. Croix, and very small ections of the Union and Machias rivers.

Within this network of 4,770 miles of rivers, brooks, and streams are more than 800 lakes and ponds greater than one acre in ize. Of the e, 239 have been surveyed (total surveyed acreage, 179,106, more than 90 percent of the total water acreage within the region). Due to the phy ical location of thi region, its waters cover the full range of types anticipated in the north to south progresion, from primarily coldwater to primarily warmwater fi heries. The diversity of angling experiences offered by thi progression can satisfy a majority of anglers-from once-a-year "worm-dunker "to dry fly puri ts! Let's look at ome of the major water and the species involved.

As IN

MUCH OF THE REST OF THE STATE, landlocked salmon are number one in terms of angler preference. Management emphasis has been on thi species since the region's inception; 39 waters now have fishable salmon populations! Of these, approximately 25 are maintained by periodic or yearly stocking. More than 100,000 yearling salmon have been stocked annually for the past five years to meet demands of angling pressure and inadequate natural reproductive capability. Recent in-

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crea e in the urvival rate of hatchery almon (through improved rearing and stocking technique ) ha Jed to slight reductions in numbers stocked, and management refinement will lower these further. However, stocked fish will continue to provide the bulk of the almon fi hery in the region for some time to come.

Some of the better-known salmon waters are Ea t Grand Lake, West Lake, Cold Stream Pond, Schoodic Lake, Millinocket Lake (Penobscot River drainage), and the Pemadumcook Chain of Lake . Well-known river fisherie for Jandlocks exist on the West Branch of the Penobscot (upstream from the Pemadumcook Lakes) and, of slightly lesser fame, on the Ea t Branch of the Penobscot (below Matagamon Lake). Both river segments benefit from stocking of the associated lakes and produce fast, early sea on fishing of unique quality. The Pi cataquis and Mattawamkeag rivers also produce substantial landlocked salmon fisheries, and their fame as almon waters may increase as restoration of Atlantic salmon in the Penob cot Ri ver system progresses (see Maine Fish & Wildlife, Summer 1980). For the past several years, report of Atlantic salmon sighted and taken from these waters have become more numerous and have caused unsuspecting anglers' hearts to pump wildly. The thrill of enticing a 10-poundplus Atlantic to take a fly should not be underestimated!

Lake trout (togue) are also well represented in the Penobscot Region. Of the waters listed for salmon above, all except West Lake have togue fisheries of considerable repute. Actually, 15 Penobscot waters produce togue in good numbers, while only three are stocked annually. Revised regulations, aimed at enhancing natural reproduction, may result in even fewer togue stocked. Try some ice

View from South Branch Pond Campground in Baxter Park, looking across Lower South Branch Pond to Traveler Mountain.

out surface trolling for six- to eight-pound native togue on Webster Lake, if you can get to it that early in the season!

Several regional lakes with reputations for three- to fivepound togue surprise the occasional angler with a 15- to 25-pounder. Try Schoodic Lake near Brownville, or Cold Stream Pond, and listen to tales of "snagging bottom," having "bottom" tug back, the battle ending with brokenoff gear! Waters for respectable eight- to ten-pound togue include Upper Jo-Mary, Scraggly, Millinocket, and East Grand lakes. Whichever your choice, don't be dismayed if it takes a few trips to find the reefs and "learn the lake" to become a productive deep troller.

Speaking of productivity, now would be a good point to briefly discuss some advances in gear available to the angler to improve efficiency. Improved echo-locators and "down-riggers" are showing up more frequently on fishing craft. Neither will make an instant success of an indifferent or mediocre fisherman, but they do enable you to learn the contours of the bottom of the lake much more rapidly, and to get the gear down there where the fish ought to be. As these devices' popularity increases, fishery managers may have to develop more stringent regulations to prevent overharvesting the resource. The fishing products industry would have you believe that, anyway! Time and experience will tell, as always.

Experience. Have you experienced a quiet day on a stream fishing for brook trout recently? Talk of sophisticated gear doesn't have to be a part of that picture, certainly! The Penobscot Region abounds with brookies in habitat as varied as you care to imagine. Most of the smaller streams produce at least early season trout fisheries before waters warm and trout seek cool, spring-fed holes. Larger river sections are similar, though slow-moving dead waters may produce bigger early trout. Say Wassataquoik (and spell it) three times fast, then find the stream on the map.

Keep it in mind because it's an excellent choice for good numbers of fair-sized brookies. And lest all the pressure be directed there, keep Sourdnahunk Stream, the East and West Branches of the Mattawamkeag River, and the Piscataquis River in mind as alternates.

If your preference is pond or lake fishing, keep in mind also that 118 regional surface waters list trout as a principal fisheries species. Only 20 are stocked on a regular basis, a good number of these being chemically reclaimed ponds nearer population centers. Of the latter, Crystal and Loon ponds come highly recommended, as do Little Round, Round, Turtle, Abol, Smith, and Jerry (this last only if you are under 16 years of age!).

Baxter Park waters (see Maine Fish & Wildlife, Spring 1975) have their own special allure-and Mt. Katahdin as a backdrop if spectacular trout fishing isn't enough. Baxter Park also harbors Wassataquoik Lake, the only water in the region with blueback trout. Just to keep on with lesserknown trout (more properly "char") species, Sunapees have been introduced into Upper and Lower South Branch ponds in the northern end of the park, and also into the Twin Ponds just south of the park boundary.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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O SWITCH HABIT ATS, from cold to warm, brings us to some of the best smallmouth bass and pickerel habitat in Maine. Waters with such names as Sysladobsis (Upper and Lower), Nicatous, Baskahegan, Musquash (East), Wytopitlock, Mattawamkeag, and maybe even as simple as Upper Chain or Brandy may bring a smile to bass and pickerel fishermen's minds. And well they might smile, for in a section of the state where salmon and salmon anglers abound, bass and their devotees often find little pressure on big acres. The Penobscot Region does not have any largemouth bass waters, but makes up for that with prime smallmouth possibilities.

Don't knock the fast action and excellent eating associated with bass and pickerel fishing. They also make excellent prospects for teaching a small boy (or girl) the virtues of keeping a fast reflex and a taut line on a drowsy midsummer afternoon when trout are in the springholes and salmon have moved to deeper water. If your bass and pickerel preferences are for flowing water, give the lower sections of the Passadumkeag, Mattawamkeag, or Penobscot River a whirl (yes, even the main stem of the Penobscot!). Water quality improvements have been followed closely with better fishing and, as yet, the fish are hardly touched by anglers.

A section on warm water species wouldn't be complete without a line or two about white perch. Depending upon populations, probably most highly influenced by recent years' spawning successes or failures, white perch may be abundant and small, or fewer and bigger. But nearly all larger waters contain fishable-size white perch. The list of a few more prominent lakes would include Mattawamkeag, the Pemadumcook Chain, Gassabias, Mattamiscontis, Boyd, and a host of others. At present, white perch may represent the least talked about but most dependable species to put in the frying pan and on the platter. Excellent quality eating, too (if you haven't been already convinced of that by trying them!).

Eels, being a squirmy subject, have avoided much mention in prior regional articles, but should be hailed as one of the few more or less commercial inland fisheries in Maine. They do support a commercial fishery of high value, but are only partially inland by virtue of being a catadromous species (you remember catadromous-go to sea to spawn, the young returning to fresh water to grow up, the opposite of anadromous, like Atlantic salmon?).

On several tributaries of the Penobscot River, substantial weir fisheries produce several tons of eels annually, mostly for Boston, New York, and European markets. There they command premium prices for epicurian palates (no, I can't claim to have ever tried them!) and assorted ethnic followings.

Another lesser recognized, but perhaps of greater commercial value overall, fishery exists in the form of harvesting minnows to be sold as bait. The Penobscot Region is no different than other sections of Maine, having a well developed ice-fishery with 135 waters open in the winter.

Baitfish are a priority item-summer and winter. Consid-

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

View from the west shore of Silver Lake northeast across the lake to Saddleback Mountain .

erable knowledge needs to be gained in biology and habits of minnow species in Maine to make best use of this resource.

T EA VING

STRAIGHT FISHING BEHIND for awhile, some of the other aspects of the Penobscot River system should be discussed. Early development of the river centered on lumber, primarily sawlogs, and later on pulpwood for paper making. In the course of this history the river has been altered by man's activities, from increased (or more rapid) runoff due to removing watershed tree cover, resulting in heavier sediment loads, to physical alterations like dams and channelizing to allow logs and pulp to move more easily downstream, to location of even larger dams and mills to process the wood. All have left their mark.

Some effects have been all but obliterated as practices have changed. For example, driving pulp has ceased (though much sunken wood remains; some is being recovered). Some effects are being ameliorated, like the treatment and cleanup of mill effluents. And some remain or are even increased, as in the case of dams, now important again for hydroelectric power generation. The period of building, using, and abandoning dams for waterborn pulp transport is undergoing a resurgence of interest to produce

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Mount Katahdin , looking northeast from Abol Bridge on the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

hydroelectric power aimed at offsetting increased cost and decreased availability of oil for electric power generation.

But this time around, much more is known about dam construction, operation, and effects on fish and wildlife. Fish passage has been addressed on existing dams on the lower Penobscot to facilitate restoration of Atlantic salmon, and water levels on upstream impoundments are regulated to provide more uniform conditions for waterfowl nesting, lake trout spawning, and increased minimum stream flows. Not all aspects of dams downgrade fish and wildlife, though some may effect changes in the type of habitat or recreational uses, and may involve trade-offs of one species (or use) for another. Retrofitting (adding hydroelectric generation to existing dams which now have none) and new dam construction will be subjects of considerable study for the next few years and are being brought to the attention of many river resource users rigl!_t now.

Regulations for licensing dams have become very complex and include assessment of environmental impact, competing uses of the river, and mitigation measures where warranted. The West Branch of the Penobscot is under scrutiny for additional hydroelectric power development, as is the Mattawamkeag River and one new site on the main stem of the Penobscot. Trade-offs between development and preservation of free-flowing river sections require setting and living by priorities.

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OPEFULLY, as our quest for energy continues, free-flowing water for canoeing will be maintained in some areas. On the East Branch of the Penobscot River, the segment from Matagamon Lake down to Grindstone is a well-known float trip, combining clean water, multiple rapids and portages, and some very spectacular scenery as you skirt the east side of Baxter State Park. A tributary, the Seboeis River, is also a very good, but easier, trip. Both offer excellent brook trout fishing during fiddlehead season. For canoeists preferring flatter water and warm water fishing, the "Loop Trip" involving Lower Sysladobsis Lake comes highly recommended. Most lakes in this southwestern portion of the region provide elegant sand beaches for single-day picnicking/ swimming/ fishing outings as well.

No dissertation on the Penobscot Region would be complete without reference to the ubiquitous black fly! Much has been made of this pest in the past. As waters recover from pollution, black fly habitat improves and numbers increase. The outstanding feature of black flies in the region is their persistence throughout the summer, the result of multiple-brooded species (more than one hatch per season). Proposed control measures using chemicals to eradicate blackfly larvae in streams proved to be environmentally unsound, as the chemicals were not sufficiently specific and other aquatic insects would have been adversely affected as well. Natural predators, especially dragonflies (both nymphs and adults), are increasing and do much to control the pest. Actually, once black flies are accepted as a natural part of the outdoor scene, they become much easier to live with. Appropriate clothing and improved repellants are very effective in coping with them. And, if you can view them as part of the scheme of river life, much of their disagreeableness disappears!

Final notes: As increased transportation costs limit distances travelled for recreation, consider that much of the Penobscot Region has been bypassed for years by people seeking "wilderness" further north. The result is a good degree of wildness remaining closer .to home. Lake development is increasing, but hasn't yet nearly reached the proportions it has in central and southern Maine. Regulations controlling and directing development should be able to preserve much of this existing low-level intrusion into the aesthetics of scenic lakes and rivers. And you can do your part by conscientious adherence to good haeits while visiting: carry-in/ carry-out camping, using designated campsites, and going by canoe, sailboat, or rowboat (have you noticed the resurgence of excellent pulling boats available / in recent years?) are good practices when you are on the water. The Maine Forest Service still maintains campsites on some regional waters, and groups of forest landowners provide camping in other areas. The historic Katahdin Iron Works is a good example of the latter.

Whatever your purpose-fishing, canoeing, camping, history seeking, or just getting outdoors-enjoy your visit to the Penobscot Region! • Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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ROM TIME TO TIME, we have discussed the dangers from exposure to cold water, hypothermia, frostbite, etc . In looking at year-end statistics, it often seems we have been remiss in not mentioning the common problems occurring in warm weather periods.

It is a fact that most wet hypothermia occurrences are happening when the water and air temperatures are 50° or above, because there is simply more sporting activity then, at least around water. Nevertheless, it is a valid point that you are in great danger any time you go afield unprepared.

Many of us take advantage of extremely warm days, but forget that Maine has very cool evenings. If you plan a day trip, plan also for the evening; take enough clothing and emergency equipment to see you comfortably through one night. Try to convince your companions to do the same. Remember-the chain is only as strong as its weakest link!!

Insects are a potential health hazard. When an animal or human is attacked by hordes of black flies or mosquitoes, there is a very real danger of infection, blood loss, and/or acute nausea. In extreme cases, the eyes may be swollen completely shut, rendering the victim helpless and vulnerable . Always carry an effective external repellant in adequate quantity, and ask your physician if there is also an internal repellant available to you. It is advisable to wear lightcolored clothing covering as much of the body as possible to seal out the bugs.

Sunstroke is another summertime problem that should not be taken lightly. A full head of hair is not necessarily adequate sunproofing for the head; wear a loose-fitting head covering of some kind, and take periodic rests in the shade. Allow the body to ventilate occasionally, and take plenty of liquids-but not ice cold! Sunstroke victims need immediate medical attention and should be handled very carefully. Keep them shaded and cool and do not try to

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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treat them without a physician's advice.

It is very dangerous to jump into Maine's cold ocean or lakes when heated and flushed from hard work or play. People often cannot stand this sudden thermal transition.

Always enter the water slowly after wetting the wrists, feet, and large blood vessels along the thighs and neck. This will permit the body temperature to drop a few degrees, gradually preparing it for a refreshing dip.

It is thought that sudden body temperature change is the real reason for many early season canoeing deaths. It is an excellent policy, therefore, to do your spring canoeing while entirely dressed in light woolen clothing. The woolen clothing will allow the body to cool naturally from perspiration moisture, but will retain some body heat if you are suddenly immersed. It will also continue to protect you while you dry out.

If you should capsize, make every effort to come up on the upstream side of the craft. This prevents being pushed under and provides a bumper until you are in control of the situation. There is really no reason for fatal sudden immersions if everyone would simply wear one of the new, attractive, comfortable Personal Flotation Devices.

favorite pain killer in your survival kit will be a blessing.

During the summer months, lightning storms can be dangerous. A darkening sky, increasing ground level wind, and a damp cool feel to the air are all indications of an impending storm.

Take cover in vehicles, buildings, or wooden boat cabins. If in a metal boat, leave it for shore and try not to stand near large solitary trees. Don't get under overhanging bankings or rocks. The lightning may go from lip of overhang to ground or vice versa, killing or injuring anyone caught in the "spark plug effect" (see sketch).

Treatment for lightning-struck people involves external heart massage, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and expert medical attention.

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E URGE YOU to take advantage of a certified advanced or simple first aid course whenever the opportunity arises. This training is valuable and complete, but in the meantime, here are some easily handled but aggravating common injuries the outdoors person may encounter: Strains to muscles, tendons and ligaments can be self-treated with short periods of moist heat, rest and light duty. An elastic roll bandage with medium pressure is often comforting.

Check with your physician after the trip . The same treatment applies to sprains, which are generally in the lower extremities. These can ruin an ordinary trip, and demand rest and inactivity in extreme cases . Your

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Blisters of the feet are potential blood poisoning sites. They are serious; make no mistake. Protect them and keep them scrupulously clean. If there is a physician nearby, he will undoubtedly completely drain and trim the area. Personal experience with this treatment still amazes me.

The blistered area was so treated and

allowed to air dry overnight; the next day I walked at least six miles over broken ground, canoed several miles, and drove 187 miles that evening without a single problem!!! The physician who treated me does not recommend that this treatment be attempted by lay people, however.

You should protect a blister with loose cotton, lightly held with tape or a loose sock. If possible, keep shoes and sneakers away from the injury.

Consult your physician, especially if there is inflammation, swelling of glands, or red streaks emanating from the injured area.

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URNS FROM CAMP STOVES, lanterns, camp fires, steam and boiling liquids are extremely common. These are always dangerous, regardless of the degree of penetration. Your first aid course will teach you recognition. All burns may be irrigated with clean cold water and lightly covered with clean wet cloths until medical help is available.

We should point out here that many people have serious allergies, reaction to bee stings, and / or require daily medication for any of several reasons. We are keenly aware of our responsibility for your safety and/ or rescue in the Maine woods, but we also feel that you owe us cooperation and a regard for your own safety.

Always tell someone where you are going, the length of your stay, and approximately when you expect to be at a certain point. Do not deviate from this plan without informing someone.

Always wear or carry at least two methods of informing rescuers of your personal medical or allergy problems.

In this article, we have tried to remind you of the possible hazards awaiting you afield in Maine in summer. The treatments we have mentioned are simple, common and of a self-help nature. If you desire to help others, enroll in a first aid course • without delay.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

the Fly Tying Bench

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THE WHITE WULFF

DRY FLY #1

By Peter G. Walker ABOUT THE FLY Around 1929, a young fly fisherman named Lee Wulff developed a dry fly innovation that would soon become a household word amongst flytiers and anglers and help to establish him as one of the foremost writers and lecturers in the field. Unlike the delicate little feathered dry flies in use at that time, Lee Wulff's creations were large, robust flies with wings and tail of deer hair. Wulffs, as they were called, caught on quickly. Today there are few fly fi shermen who do not carry a few .

Wulff flies are not particularly good imitations of any specific insects, although some say they resemble moths .

However, trout, salmon, bass and many other species frequently take them without hesitation. To the fi sh , these

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Lay a foundation of tying thread along the shank of the hook. With several winds of thread, lash a small bunch of bucktail for the tail. (The tail should be about as long as the shank of the hook.)

Trimming the bucktail is critical to the shaping of the body. Holding the hair at a 45-degree angle, trim it off holding the scissors parallel !o the shank. The result will be a tapered underbody which leaves room for the wings. Strengthen the wraps with a small amount of thin lacquer or cement.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

high-riding dry flies apparently suggest some sort of juicy, intriguing meal.

Their popularity is also due in part to the floating qualities and exceptional visibility of these flies. These traits make them a good choice in rough water or at twilight.

THE PATTERN Hooks: standard dry fly, sizes #6 through # 12 THREAD : black TAIL: white bucktail Boov: white wool yarn HACKLES: two badger neck hackles (saddle hackles are sometimes used on the larger sizes) WINGS: white bucktail

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For the wings, secure a bucktail bunch about twice the diameter of the tail aimed forward as pictured . The finished wings should be about twice as long as the distance between the hook point and the shank. As in Step 2, trim the ends so that this time the remainder tapers back towards the tail. Again , secure with a little lacquer or cement.

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Make the wing hair stantl up by holding it upright while winding a " wedge " of tying thread in front of the base.

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Separate the hair into two equal wings and splay them apart with winds of thread around their bases. The finished wings should make a nice vee as shown.

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Secure one end of the body yarn near t he base of the tail. Cover the tapered underbody with consecutive wraps of yarn, secure with tying th read and trim.

TYING TIPS

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Select two hackles whose ind ividual fibers are about 1'h times longer than the distance between the hook shank and point. Clip off the heavy bases of these feathers, then separate the fibers of each by holding the outer tip between the thumb and forefinger of one hand while rubbing the feather " against the grain" with the other. Next tie the base of each hackle behind the wings.

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Holding the tips with hackle pliers, wind each hackle several times behind the wings and once or twice in front. Secure each tip to the shank near the eye with thread. (Half hitch~s in the thread are recommended at this point.) Snip off t he hackle tips close to the shank.

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When "stripped" of their fuzzy coating, ind ividual fibe rs from the "eye" section of peacock tail quills make very realistic imitations of insects' segmented bodies. Some books recommend "stripping" peacock her! with your thumbnail, but the delicate nature of the material can make this very fr ustrating .

A quicker and more effective meth od is to soa k an entire peacock "eye" in a strong solution of Clorox bleach .

Swi rl the quill by its stem and the fuzzy coating will quickly erode, leaving a large supply of quill body material. Be sure to rinse the stri pped her! immediately and thoroughly.

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Holding the wings and hackl e fibers back with the left hand, make a head of tying thread, then f inish wit h a knot and c lip off the thread. A touch o f lacquer on the head and your fly is complete.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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This small ish crappie shows the calico pattern ing and the large dorsal and anal fins which are typica l. The soft tissues of the mouth are extended.

CRAPPIE! N 0, NO, NO! Not crappy; crappie, black crappie (pronounced croppie so uth of the Mason-Dixon), papermouth , sac-a-lait, speck led perch, calico bass, slabsides, or Pomoxis nigromaculatus to those who speak the Linnean lingo . If yo u hail from anyplace sout h or west of northern New England, you know what I'm talking about. If you're a native Mainer, you probably don't. Either way, I 'II bet you didn't know that over the last ha! f-century or so they've been introduced, illegall y or accidentally, into some waters of the state of Maine and are doing well .

And although they represent unwanted competition for existing fish species, this is good news for some anglers because the crappie is perfect for the frying pan. Crappies are also easy to catch.

Crappies are members of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) which includes not only our two species of sunfi sh, but also black bass, both largemouth and smallmouth. Except for reproductive behaviour, crappies don't look or act a whole lot like bass or sunfi sh, though. They ' re shaped sort of like a sunfish that's been stepped on. This flatness is just one of the reasons they go with frying pans so well.

Their color varies with the water color . In clear water they'll be very

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

By Ted Bradstreet Photos by

David Leaming dark. The background color down to the belly will be black to very dark green , and this will be covered with fleck s of yellow, white, green, and black (calico bass). In colored water, they may be very light. In the murkiest water, they will be si lver except for a dark back, perhaps with a tint of green, and have only a few scattered black flecks showing on their sides (speckled perch).

Crappies reproduce the way other centrarchs do, and they're very good at it, too. In the spring, perhaps a little before the water is warm enough for largemouth bass to start spawning, say somewhere between 60° and 70° F, the male cleans a circular area on a firm bottom, ju t like a sun fi sh or bass "nest." Often, crappie nests will be made in deeper water than their co usi ns', perhaps as deep as 20 feet in some lakes. The hatchlings eat almost anything that wiggles, but as soon as they are big enough they g raduate to a fish diet.

Since the male g ua rds a nd cares for the nest while there are eggs or fry in it, many babies survi ve, and crappies quickly become established in almost a ny body of water. Because of this abilit y a nd the fish diet, crappies represent a problem when introduced into trout a nd salmon waters.

Crappies have been described as a cross between largemouth bass a nd white perch. That' s a biological

impossibil it y, but they do have some behavioral characteristics of each species. Like the bigmouth, they are quiet-water fish, preferring lakes, ponds, and flatwat er streams . Al so like ol' hawgjaws, they are oriented to structure and cover. That means that you 'II find them where there is some sort of change in bottom or water conditions, especially if that change provides cover for them, even if it's only the shade of a big rock.

The bigger the change and the denser the cover, the better they like it-submerged brushpiles are favori te hangouts. Some state fi sh and wildlife departments even manufacture brushpiles in waters managed for crappies.

On the other ha nd, they are like white perch in that they are schooling fish-where there is one crappie there are more, zillion s in a good crappie lake like Sebasticook. The size range is about the same as white perch, too.

A one-pounder is a nice fish. As a nice side effect of the behavioral similarity, you will often catch white perch while crappie fishing, and vice versa.

Crappie meat is white, fir m, and flaky, and the taste is sweet and mild.

I once kept some Sebasticook crappie uncleaned in the refrigerator for a week so I could take pictures and show them off. I felt guilty about wasting them so I cleaned and cooked them, and they were still elegant.

One crappie peculiarity is their mouth. A crappie will wait until his prey gets close and then kinda shoot out his mouth and vacuum it up. In order for their mouths to partake of a minnow , crappies have greatly expanded a reas of thin membrane which connect the various mouth bones and allow for extension and contraction (folding, really) of the whole mouth. It is these membranes that give crappie the name papermouth. The whole mouth structure is

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very delicate. This means that you shouldn't set the hook-if you feel a bite, he's on-reel him in. As a native Mainer, I'm used to really nailing white perch. The first time l got into some crappies, I commenced to walk the hook right to them. Couldn't understand why l wasn't catching anyit turned out that I was ripping the hook right through them! My dad Ii kes to troll, and he tried dragging a small lure past some crappies. All he caught was a crappie's upper lip. Do not set the hook hard, just reel them in gently.

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SAID CRAPPIES are already spread around quite a bit in Maine-let's see how widely. Nothing I say will do you much good if you can't find them. As far as I know, they were first introduced illegally about 1921 in Virginia Lake in Stoneham. By 1952, they were established downstream from there in the Sebago drainage as far as Sebago itself. How much that stocking may have spread by now, beyond Sebago, I don't know. Then, about 1966, crappies were accidently introduced into Sebasticook Lake in Newport, Sherman Lake in Newcastle, and possibly others. As the story goes, they were mixed with largemouth bass fingerlings in a shipment from a federal hatchery. Since these

lakes are managed as bass waters, imagine how the crappies are doing.

Most recently, they were stocked in Bellows Lake in New Hampshire about 1972, and have spread downstream to Balch Lake and Shapleigh Pond, headwaters of the Little Ossipee River, and apparently even into the Little Ossipee River itself.

Once you get to a lake that holds crappies, you gotta find them. In winter, folks have been having good luck fishing the same places and the same way they always have. Minnows or minnow imitations are best, of course. They ought to be fished far enough off the bottom, say two to five feet, to be backlit when seen from below. As in ice fishing in general, spots that held fish in open water season are best. Remember, bottom type and cover are the keys, even in winter. Vegetation is not as important, especially in shallower areas, as it dies in winter, but other features are the same.

In early spring, crappies are still on winter behavior-near bottom in deep water (not as deep as salmonids)-but as the water warms, they come inshore looking for fresh food and spawning sites. They can be caught near shore during late spring and early summer. Cover with easy access to deep water is best. Remember that cover can be as insubstantial

as the shadow of a bridge. Good locations in Maine's natural lakes are isolated patches of weeds or lily pads near deeper water. As the water warms in summer, crappies move into deeper water and are less apt to rove than white perch . In Maine lakes, a sonar "fish-finder" is a big help in midsummer.

As surface waters cool, crappies come back inshore in fall, until driven back into their winter pattern by the cold. This is behavior very similar to that of largemouth bass, so don't be surprised if you tie into ol' bucketmouth while hunting crappies.

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HERE A RE TWO basic styles of open water crappie fishing, "traditional" and "best." The traditional approach requires the use of a long cane pole (my 16-footer is a little short) and live minnows. The minnows may be fished under a bobber, preferably a porcupine quill or other sensitive tipup type. Crappies can be very gentle on the take-remember, they "surround" the bait with their mouths, rather than grabbing it. The depth at which the minnow is fished is changed repeatedly until the depth at which the crappies are biting is found.

After a number of crappies have been caught (they school, remember), the rest will stop biting. A simple change in the depth at which you are fishing may be enough to start them biting again, or you may have to go as far as to move to another spot.

A variation on the traditional method requires no bobber. The minnows (usually two) are presented on a "crappie rig ." A crappie rig consists of a short length of strong monofilament with a one-ounce bell sinker at the bottom to keep it vertical and two twisted-wire spreader arms, one about a foot above the other, from which the hooks hang. Depth is controlled by raising or lowering the pole, and the vertical spacing of the

The author hauls one in on a traditional rig.

two hooks means that more water is covered by each try when prospecting. Also, the hooks are close enough together so that double catches are frequent. The key to both of these (and all other) methods is that crappies are not chasers. They do take moving bait, but it must be presented right on the table.

The best method is to use artificial lures, especially small jigs (one-sixteenth ounce and smaller), and one small jig in particular. Why best?

Two kinds of small jigs out-produce live bait consistently, even when fished the same way at the same time and place. The best is so good that I have averaged a fish per minute on my best trips to Sebasticook, and only five minutes per fish average for the whole 1980 season, including skunks! No kidding.

These little jigs can be presented via the traditional rigs, in place of minnows, but are much more fun to cast with ultra-light spinning or spin-casting out fits on two- to six-pound test mono-no snaps or swivels. A lot more versatile that way, too. In fact, crappies can be taken on any small minnow imitation lures, spoons, spinners, spinner-baits, plugs, and streamers, presented with light-toultralight spinning, spincasting, or fly casting gear. While it's their taste, not their fight, that makes crappies famous, such light gear can provide some heart-stopping moments. And you will catch plenty of fish, too!

Now, about these jigs. Soft-plastic curly-tail jigs have been shown to be better than live bait, but there is one thing better still. It is a round-head jig with a braided mylar body and bushy marabou tail (no hackle or wings). It comes in white, yellow, and chartreuse with a flash of red in the tip of the tail, regardless of base color, in weights of one-eighth ounce down.

Crappies generally don't go for big meals, and they don't like dark colors, regardless of water color. The red tag has been found to have special crappie appeal, too. You could get your local fly-tying purist to tie them for a buck apiece, maybe, or tie them yourself somewhat more cheaply. But

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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A. Marabou tail , roundhead type jig B. Soft plastic curlytail jig C. Traditional crappie rig.

hold on now, they retailed in catalogs in 1980 for 35<J: each. That's the good news. The bad news is I can't find them for sale in Maine. With some encouragement, maybe your local tackle dealer can get some.

I don't want you to browbeat your local tackle dealer because you have to have some small jigs. I've had a lot of fun and caught fish (both white perch and crappies) fly casting number twelve Mickey Finns and Ligget Specials and spinning and spin casting assorted tiny hardware-even caught one big crappie on a four-inch purple worm, rigged Texas style! The proper lure is small, flashy, rigged without extra hardware on six-pound test or less, and dropped right in the crappies' lap.

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ELL. I've told you what a

crappie is, where he is, and how to catch him. Now you've got a bucketful and you want to know what to do with them. Clean them any way you're comfortable with, but be sure you skin them. Don't go ripping the skin off with pliers, because there isn't much room for error. Get a sharp knife with a flexible blade long enough to span the fishes' bodies top to bottom and then some. Put a cleaned fish or fillet (fins off) on a smooth flat board. Separate a corner of the skin from the meat. Hang onto that corner and slip the knife edge be-

tween the skin and the meat. Hold the skin flat on the board firmly with the flat of the knife. Pull the skin along under the knife, or hold the skin still and slide the knife along the skin, and presto! It may take a little practice, but hey, you've got a bucketful. I've told you that crappies keep exceptionally well, but they should still be cleaned as soon as possible. Then they store even better, and freeze very well (freeze wet, to prevent freezer burn).

As I've said, the crappie's shape is prime for frying. Fry them in deep fat, shallow fat, or no fat, floured, breaded, crumbed or plain. Salt and pepper are all the seasoning you need since the flavor is truly light (so is the odor while cleaning, incidentally).

Personally, I shake them in a bread bag with flour, salt, and pepper and fry them in shallow oil in which I've previously fried a piece of bacon. The fat must be hot, just short of smoking. True southern style would be to dip them in milk, roll them in white cornmeal, then fry them in deep lard and serve with hush puppies and slaw. I prefer dandelion or other bitter greens and boiled new potatoes with mine. You'll find the bone structure simple and straightforward, with more meat per fish than you expect.

Eat 'em up! â&#x20AC;˘ Editor's note: Crappies are fine panfish and a lot of fun to catch. On the other hand, they are not native members of our fisheries and often displace species which have a rightful place here.

When the white man first came, brook trout dominated Maine's waters. Native warmwater species were restricted. Black bass were absent altogether. But men soon began to scatter their individual favorites helter-skelter until today both native and non-native warmwater fishes dominate the majorit)' of inland waters in lhe southern half of the state. Trout, with their tolerate competition, have inability lo relinquished their claim in every instance.

Unfortunately, the spread goes on. It is against Maine law lo introduce any species of fish into an inland waler without a permit from the commissioner. In spite of I his, whether through selfishness or ignorance, unwanted species continue lo show up where they shouldn 'I be each year. In the great majority of cases, these acts are irreversible.

Practically every stale has bass and panfish fisheries. Bui few can offer the qualit)' trout and salmon fishing still found in the Stale of Maine. Help preserve what is left. Lei them be.

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WEATHER WATCH

1 Have you ever planned a fishing trip only to be rained out and had to return home early? By observing nature's weather indicators you may be able to predict the weather before leaving on your next expedition. If read correctly, the sky can be one of your best weather indicators .

The illustration on the right is a composite drawing of clouds that may help you foretell the weather. The names are not as important as their structure, density, and height.

Level wisps of cirrostratus (I) come before the long slow rain of a warm front, often producing a halo around the sun or moon. Anvil-top (2) located on top of a thunderhead always flows out in the same direction as the storm. Altostratus (3) gives a shapeless ground-glass appearance to the sun or moon-it also means a warm front, and you can expect rain in twelve hours. Altocumulus (4) usually indicates a wind change without rain.

Cumulonimbus (5), also called a thunderhead, usually moves in the direction from east to west and produces a short, hard rain-good weather usually follows. Scud (6), also called cloud fragments, can predict a change to colder weather.

High small cumulus (7) foretells a cold air mass and a long, dry, fair spell. Turreted cumulus (8), the darkening and enlarging of the smaller cumulus clouds, indicates an afternoon storm. Line squall (9) does not itself promise rain, but is usually followed by a quick, hard downpour and violent wind changes. Fog (10), usually forming at night, will last until the next day-morning fog will usually burn off by noon.

The second half of Weather Watch will appear in the Fall issue of Kid-Bits. It will help you to recognize some proven methods to foretell the weather other than using the sky as an indicator.

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1. CIRROSTRATUS 30.000ft (like cobwebs)

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

Letters should be sent to: Patricia Hogan, KID-BITS Editor Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine 284 State Street, Sta. #41 Augusta, ME 04333

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

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Photo Š by Leonard Lee Rue Ill

VERY TIME I ee a loon, I am impres ed by the

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bird. And every time I listen to its calls, I am amazed and comforted by it. The common loon is that kind of a bird.

The loon certainly is strikingly marked, and it vocalizations border on being bizarre. But these feature alone are not the reason for it appeal. The appeal is intangible and seems quite nebulous to those who do not know the loon.

Yet it 's there. Anyone who has pent time on the lake of Maine is surely acquainted with the loon and can appreciate the aura surrounding this creature.

The loon has been described as a symbol. .. a ymbol of wilderness. But it is more than that. Many of us do associate it with wilderness, although true wilderness is gone forever.

The loon does and did occur in wilderness area , but many of the Maine lakes it occurs on are now developed.

But when we encounter it on the lakes, the loon does become symbolic. As modern man alienates himself more and more from the land, he reaches for things which remind him of, and reinforce, his connections to hi heritage. I think the loon is a catalyst.

For tho e who allow their minds to wander into ab tract thoughts, an encounter with a loon trigger visions of

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wildernes . It repre ents a rejection of a highly technological existence and, for a few moments, a return to being with nature, being a part of it, and not being a despoiler.

For a few moment s one may feel a lack of tres and in a harmoniou and peaceful tate. Some have even de cribed certain loon encounter a being magical or even piritual.

Whatever it is, it is good for us .

And that brings me to a more "nut and bolt " di sc ussion of the common loon. Becau e of the magneti m thi bird holds over man, and becau e of indication of population declines in the Northeast, concern has been galvanized into action to learn more about it. As a result of the heavy symboli m associated with loon s, and since action can easily be focu ed on a particular "thing," the loon ha quickly become a cause to work for. It would be nice if concern could so quickly be mounted for other environmental i ues. However, let' ee what the activity on the loon's behalf has accompli hed over the past five years .

The awareness of the need for information about the loon began in the mid-1970s . Individuals in New Hampshire became alarmed when initial investigation s showed an apparent dra tic reduction in loon numbers there. The fir st tatewide survey, in 1976, found only 58 lakes upporting pair of loon and, even more alarming, only 23 of tho se

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

lake upporting ucce sful nesting pair . The loon apparently was in trouble in New Hamp hire.

The Loon Pre ervation Committee (LPC) wa formed, and directed a concerted effort at loon research in New Hampshire. The concern and enthusiasm of that group crossed the border into Maine. With encouragement of the LPC, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Audubon Society cooperated in conducting two surveys of Maine's loons. The Department, with its staff of field wardens and biologists, attempted an extensive and general survey of Maine's 2,700 lakes and ponds. Maine Audubon, with a network of dedicated observers, worked on gathering detailed data from whatever lakes observers would study. The two surveys provided complementary information.

The Department repeated it tudy in 1978 and will now wait until 1983 to re-survey the entire state. Maine Audubon is continuing its survey of lakes, particularly in southern Maine, and is trying to develop the expertise to detect changes in local populations.

During the last few years, a number of surveys and studies in other states have been directed at finding out more about the loon. Except in a few cases, biologists could only guess at what had happened because there was no historical information to compare with. Many of the studies were the first, the baseline with which later studies could be compared. But the trend which emerged was a decline in loon numbers. A few states reported stable populations, but many thought their situation was similar to New Hampshire's. New York documented a 35 percent decrease on 85 lakes with historical records and estimated a total of 155 breeding pairs in the state. Vermont could find only 46 pairs of loons, of which only 16 nested and only eight produced young. New Hampshire loons appeared to hit their low point in 1977 when only 21 lakes held successful nesting pairs of loons. Perhaps due to the active program of loon management in New Hampshire, a small increase has been noted every year since 1977, with 33 lakes having successful nesting pairs in 1981.

Our surveys have found that Maine's loon population is apparently stable, except perhaps for southern Maine.

There the situation prompts the closer scrutiny that the Maine Audubon survey will provide. The Fish and Wildlife Department survey accounted for over 1,100 pairs of loons (Table 1) in 1978 and 1979. This makes Maine the state with the second largest loon population, after Minnesota, and certainly the last stronghold in the East. And it surely is our desire to maintain this situation .

Our survey documented quite well the preference of loons for larger bodies of water. While they do use ponds as small as 10 acres, utilization increases sharply with increasing size (Table 2). Virtually all Maine lakes over 500 acres have loons. When the data are examined regionally, southern Maine proves to have the lowest percentage of loon use of lakes. We -had expected the difference in lake use by size, since loons are notorious for requiring long runs across the surface of the water to become airborne.

Maine Fish and Wild life - Summer 1981

But the low use of lakes in southern Maine was our first documentation of an apparent problem, a problem which needs and is receiving further exploration.

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HEN ICE FINALLY CLEARS Maine's lakes, many of us think about getting out and doing some fishing. The loon, also, has a similar inclination. Within a few days of ice out, the loons return, mostly from the coast where they have spent the winter. Researchers think the male returns first and the female shortly thereafter, but it is hard to know as both sexes look alike.

Some workers think loons mate for life or until one dies.

They do use the same territory each year and defend it aggre sively. The returning pair re-establishes this territory upon arrival. Loon territory may vary from the whole body of water to a portion of a large lake. One of my high points of the year is hearing the loon's call for the first time-announcing his return and the occupation of his territory.

With this chore taken care of, the reproductive process takes on a greater urgency. Courtship displays are given, and the pair bond is strengthened. A nest is then constructed in a secluded part of the territory, normally right next to the water and but a foot or two above the level of the lake. The loon must be close to the water as he cannot move about on the land very well. Unlike the mallard and other ducks which have their legs positioned near the center of their body, the loon's legs are far back and offer the body little support for walking. Hence the need for the nest to be right by the water.

Table 1. Pairs of Common Loons Wildlife Management Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 TOTAL

1977 61 244 200 141 216 95 71 73 1101

1978 63 300 174 183 129 102 111 84 1146

Table 2 . Use of Lakes by Loons size (acres) 10-25 26-50 51-100 101-200 201-500 500+

percent of total number used 18.8 31.3 62.2 81.0 84.9 94.3

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In Maine, loons lay their eggs about the end of May. Normally, one or two eggs comprise the set. Three eggs have been reported but are very rare. Both the male and female help incubate the eggs, which takes about 29 days.

After hatching, the young dry off, then follow their parents into the water.

Parent loons are very attentive to their youngsters and watch over them constantly. Slowly, the young become more proficient at swimming and catching their own food.

But growing is a slow process and it is fully IO to 11 weeks before a young loon can fly. Compare that to a songbird such as the yellowthroat, which probably nested close by the loons and whose young leave the nest-flying-only eight days after hatching.

Young loons resemble their parents only in form, their coloration being much different from the adults' summer markings. The young are basically gray to brown above and white below, the same as adults in the winter. Many people observing loons in the winter are surprised to learn that they are the same birds they saw during the summer.

The sub-adults keep this plumage for upwards of four years, or until they become sexually mature. The exact age is not known as the necessary banding studies have not been done; no one has yet figured out a good way to catch loons to band.

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ANY TIMES it has been said that loons are a scourge to game fish such as trout. But one should consider that loons and trout have existed together for eons, and fishing only suffers when man enters the picture. To be sure, loons do eat trout, but they eat many other kinds of fish as well. They'll take whatever is easiest to catch and most abundant, and that is usually bait fish and rough fish.

Loons are well adapted to catching fish, being powerful swimmers and divers. Their streamlined bodies go easily through the water, and their legs, so cumbersome on land, Awkward on land, loons nest right next to the water.

propel them quickly underwater. Loons do not often use their wings underwater, as is sometimes believed. Studies have shown they use just their legs, with the wings used occasionally to make sharp turns. They quickly pursue their quarry, make a quick strike, and grasp the prey in their strong, sharply-pointed bill.

Why, then, is this bird that is so beau ti fully adapted to its environment experiencing problems? A very simple and succinct answer would be: man. It is not just man per se, but certain of his activities, which conflict with the loon.

The very fact that loons occur and successfully breed on lakes with a certain amount of human use indicates coexistence is possible.

Development of lakes with camps and homes is one of the easily identified problems. Both people and loons like frontage, and if they are both interested in the same piece of shoreline it is the loon which is evicted. Because not all shoreline is suitable for nesting, partial development may eliminate all the potential sites.

Various state laws offer a degree of protection for the loons. The Great Ponds law and shoreland zoning help limit man's impact. Fish and Wildlife Department personnel actively work with these laws.

In New Hampshire, the LPC has experimented with the use of floating nesting islands with success where other factors were favorable, but adequate sites were not available on the shore. This technique is being tried in Maine this year by the Maine Audubon Society.

Observations by many individuals indicate that disturbance on the nest is the most serious problem of the loon.

As mentioned previously, the loon is highly territorial.

Spectacular displays around boats in late spring and early summer are not being put on for the benefit of the occupants. Instead, the loons are trying to communicate that their territory has been intruded.

A loon incubating eggs will often try to remain inconspicuous and not move off the nest until people are very close. If this happens to you, move on quickly.

Keeping the loons off the nest too long or too often can Photo Š by Leonard Lee Rue 111

lead to chilling of the eggs and death of the embryos.

Because of the long incubation and fledgling period, successful re-nesting rarely occurs. So remember, it is more often quiet fishing, boating, or canoeing which bother loons more than water skiing and boat racing.

High-speed boats can be a problem if the wash from their wake splashes over the nest and chills the eggs. More often it is a problem when a boat actually hits a loon or creates dangerous conditions for very young loons, which are not adept swimmers at first. Un fortunately, some people, for unknown reasons, have purposely chased loons with their boats, and loon deaths have resulted. That is a sad commentary on our time, and it should be remembered that harassing wildlife is quite illegal as well.

Predation has been noted as a problem for loons in some areas, but no serious situations are known in Maine. New Hampshire has had a problem with raccoons, and many places report crows and ravens destroying the eggs in an unguarded nest.

A special problem is that of water level fluctuations.

Nests can be flooded or left yards from water by changing lake levels. Lakes with dams often have accentuated problems. The complete loss of the nesting effort has been recorded on some lakes because of fluctuating water levels.

In some cases, agreements with dam owners can be reached for the maintenance of stable water levels during the nesting period. The use of the artificial nesting islands can be effective on lakes of this type. This has been done by the LPC on the Connecticut lakes in New Hampshire.

A long-range problem which may very decidedly have an impact on our loons is acid rain. Briefly, this is rain or snow which has been acidified from the emissions of coalfired power plants in the Midwest. This acidity is affecting the quality of our lakes by making them more acid. In New York, many lakes no longer support fish. If this happens in Maine, fish-less lakes will also be loon-less lakes. We must keep current on ways to deal with this problem or all of our care and concern for the loon, and its protection and management, will be for naught.

T

HE COMMON LOON probably faces a myriad

of other, but lesser, problems in Maine.

There has been no documentation of a pesticide problem with any loon eggs which have been analyzed. A potential problem is that of oil spills. Wintering loons would be very susceptible to this kind of disaster. Fortunately, loons are not heavily concentrated like many ducks. A vital piece of research which should be undertaken is to examine important wintering areas for loons. At present, very little is known about them.

The most pressing need of loon research is to find a way to band significant numbers of them. Since loons are generally found in small groups or just pairs, are expert swimmers and divers, and frequent large bodies of water, they are not susceptible to standard capture techniques. A few have been banded, but only with a great amount of

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

effort. Without banding data it is nearly impossible to find out many pieces of information. We do not know, for instance, about the permanence of pairing, how old loons are when they first breed, where Maine loons go in the winter, or how long they live. All are important to know.

There are a couple of interesting techniques which have been used to follow a few loons where intensive studies have been made. It has been found that the "necklace" around the neck of adult loons in breeding plumage is different for each bird. So a person making a detailed study on one or a couple of lakes can always know which bird he is observing, if he has studied the necklace of each bird. It is not known whether the necklace remains the same year after year, ¡however.

Another interesting technique was developed right here in Maine by William Barklow. He studied the loons on the Roach Pond system near Moosehead Lake. As a part of his study of vocal communications in loons, Barklow analyzed recordings of individual loons, using what is known as a spectrogram. He found the loons were highly individual in their voices and that he could identify individual loons just by listening to them. The recordings can also be made into voice prints similar to those used in some courtroom procedures.

An additional benefit of the study at Roach ponds has been the publication of a record, using tapes from this work. The record describes and illustrates all the various kinds of loon calls: wails, tremulos, and yodels. Anyone with an interest in loons and their calls will find this record absolutely fascinating. The last part, a chorus of loons and coyotes together, is dynamite. With the information provided on the record, the listener will be able to identify all of the various calls and know what they are used for. The record can be ordered from the Maine Audubon Society, Gilsland Farm, Falmouth, Maine, 04105. Send $10.95, which covers all charges including taxes and mailing. Part of the profits are earmarked for further loon research.

Loon research is continuing in Maine during 1981. The Maine Audubon Society is continuing its survey of Maine lakes wherever there are volunteers. If you are one who visits one or more lakes regularly and would be interested in helping to learn more about our loons, write the Loon Project Coordinator at Maine Audubon. You will be provided with all the information you need. The survey is not difficult, and the information you provide will be a help to us all. The Society has also prepared a slide program which has been well received. You can inquire about a presentation of the program if you have a group which would be interested.

T

HIS SUMMER when you are on a lake with

loons, enjoy them, but from a distance. The call of the loons cannot become a disappearing call. With understanding and a caring about the loons, their numbers can be protected and perhaps increased. Enjoy the loon for what he is ... and also what he stands for. â&#x20AC;˘ 21

Those Telltale Rings!

By Fred M. Trasko Fisheries Technician

'

'

ALMON ON!" were words frequently heard along the banks of the Penobscot River throughout the 1980 Atlantic salmon angling season. The year saw the previous rod catch record fall as over 850 salmon were landed on the Penobscot. Many of these fish were caught below the Veazie damsite, although new areas of the Penobscot showed encouraging signs of angling improvement. From fish that were caught, anglers submitted to the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission 839 scale samples of individual salmon . I am often asked by the fishermen why they are requested to take scales from their trophy fish. What are they used for? This article will attempt to explain the importance of the scale samples we receive, and what information may be derived from them.

The Atlantic salmon undergoes many physiological changes due to adverse environmental conditions and natural changes which occur within its life cycle. Many of these responses in physical conditioning of the fish may be interpreted through scale evaluation or scale reading. The scales of a fish will enable a trained person to determine the age of that fish, the growth rate, whether the fish has spawned, and if that fish is wild or of hatchery origin. This information is a valuable management tool for the fisheries biologist. Many decisions regarding habitat management and restoration strategies are based on the scale data.

The skin of an Atlantic salmon is composed of two layers. The inner layer is called the dermis and the outer layer is called the epidermis. Scales grow from the dermis.

This growing scale lies in an in folding of the dermis called a dermal pocket. Salmon scales are formed by concentric layers of bone which are laid down at the margin of the scale as the fish grows. In Atlantic salmon, the scales overlap each other like sh ingles. Scalation usually begins when the fish reaches the size of about one inch (30 mm) and is completed when the fish is about two inches (50 mm) in size. The fish is two to three months old when scalation is completed. From the time the fish reaches one inch in size until it returns to its native stream as an adult, a record of seasonal variations is being preserved in the scales of the fish.

Aging Atlantic salmon by means of scale reading is based on the spacing of rings, called circu/i, that are laid down during the growth of the fish (Fig. 1). This is similar, but only in principle, to the rings that develop in tree growth . Variation in the spacing of the circuli can give us an accurate age of the fish. During winter and fall months, the space between these concentric rings is very narrow. In

22

S

spring and summer, the spacing of the circuli widens. This variation corresponds to seasonal climatic changes the fish encounters in the wild. From the variations in the spaci ng of the circuli, the age of the fish can be determined. The area on the scale which denotes the end of an entire year's growth is called the annulus.

T

HROUGHOUT THE SPRING and early summer months as stream waters begin to warm, insects and plankton multiply, increasing the amount of food available for the juvenile salmon. Activity and growth rate of the fish increase with the rise in temperature. This becomes quite evident when one looks at the wide spacing of the circuli on the scales during these months (Figs. 1 and 2). In winter and fall months, growth is reduced. The water temperatures decrease, the salmon become less active, food is not as plentiful, and these re-

Figure 1. The scale of a wild Atlantic salmon. A) end of the first year of fresh water growth, annulus I; B) end of the second year of freshwater growth, annulus II; C) beginning of ocean phase of life cycle; D) end of first year at sea, annu lus Ill; E) end of second year at sea, annulus IV; F) fall/winter freshwater growth; G) spring/summer freshwater growth; H) spring/summer ocean growth; I) fall/winter ocean growth. Note differences in spacing of circu li between fall/w inter and spring/summer growth, also between ocean growth and freshwater growth.

D

Figure 2. The scale of a wild Atlantic salmon , a repeat spawner. A) end of first year of freshwater growth, annulus I; B) end of second year of freshwater growth, annulus II; C) end of first year of sea growth, annulus Ill; D) end of second year of sea growth, annulus IV; E) spawning " check"; F) end of first year of sea growth after spawning, annulus V. Note the opaque scar produced by spawning , also the crossing over of circuli.

ductions cause a steady decline in the spacing of the circuli.

Therefore, the narrowly spaced curculi are laid down during fall and winter months, and the widely spaced circuli are produced in spring and summer.

A hatchery environment tends to be much more uniform than a wild environment. The food source of hatcheryreared salmon is guaranteed. Water temperatures do not fluctuate as much. Controlling these factors permits the young salmon to grow at a fairly constant rate. This growth pattern also appears on the scales. The evenly spaced circuli with little seasonal variation are typical of hatchery-reared fish. This scale pattern can be used to differentiate between a hatchery salmon and a wild fish.

When Atlantic salmon migrate to the sea, the spacing of the circuli increases dramatically from that which occurs in fresh water. This is largely attributed to the abundant food supply the fish encounters in its marine environment.

Copepods, shrimp and small fish are now the mainstay of the salmon diet. Food is plentiful and the salmon are able to increase their growth by 80 percent over their freshwater growth. With this growth increase, the spacing between circuli also increases proportionally. These widely spaced circuli, produced during oceanic growth, contrast sharply with the narrower spaced circuli found during the fishes' freshwater phase of their life cycle. Winter months at sea are marked by a declin¡e in activity. Again, we are able to differentiate winter growth at sea from summer growth at sea by spacing of the circuli (Fig. 1).

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

Atlantic salmon return to home waters in early spring, through summer and early fall. Most fish may spend one to two years at sea before returning to spawn, or may return in only six months. Age and growth data are made available to the Commission from scale samples we receive from anglers. Atlantic salmon do not feed once they enter fresh water on their spawning runs, and growth ceases. If the salmon elude the rods and obstructions posed along the river, they will succeed in reaching a suitable spawning area and completing their life cycle. Many Atlantic salmon, unlike the Pacific salmon, do not die after spawning. Some Atlantics migrate out to sea after spawning, but the majority spend the winter in fresh water and return to the ocean the following spring. Once at sea, they begin actively feeding. These fish will gain strength and size in the ocean and return to spawn for a second time.

When a fish returns as a repeat spawner, previous spawning activity is usually revealed by characteristic "spawning checks" on the scales (Fig. 2). Spawning marks appear on the scales due to erosion and resorbtion of circuli during sexual maturation before spawning. When spring growth resumes, the new circuli which are formed will cut sharply into or across the partially resorbed circuli.

This often produces an opaque scar on the scale. By examining these marks, we are able to determine whether a fish has spawned before, and if so, when and how often.

A T PRESENT, the majority of the Penobscot River salmon run is composed of hatcheryreared fish. From 1969 through 1979, analysis of scale samples from Penobscot River salmon revealed that 9 percent of the fish had spent one year at sea, 88 percent two years at sea, and 1 percent three years at sea. Spawning checks were observed in 2 percent of the scales examined during that period. Wild fish constituted an average of 2 percent of the total runs during that time.

To increase angler cooperation, the Salmon Commission has placed creel boxes along the banks of the Penobscot River. These boxes contain scale envelopes for the scale samples taken from angled fish. These creel boxes are checked regularly throughout the season. As stocking efforts increase, we hope to eventually augment the hatchery run with greater numbers of wild fish through increased spawning escapement.

With future conservation efforts and continued management policies, the Penobscot River will have a fair-sized salmon run. Management efforts have begun to show encouraging signs. Salmon runs are up in the Penobscot, and rod catches have reached levels many salmon fishermen thought were unattainable in Maine rivers.

The Atlantic Salmon Commission would like to thank the anglers who have contributed scale samples and related rod catch data. The information we obtain from the angling public is a useful source of data. We look forward to the angling public's continuing cooperation in succeeding years. â&#x20AC;˘

~

23

By Terry A. Haines, Ph.D. IN AND SNOW contain many things in addition to water alone: soil particles, plant pollen, chemicals from volcanic eruptions, and chemicals from decaying vegetation in forests and marshes are all found in the atmosphere, and are present in precipitation as well. In addition, chemicals from human activities such as burning coal and oil, making steel, etc., are emitted into the atmosphere and are incorporated into rain and snow.

Pure rain would normally be slightly acid. This weak acid, carbonic acid, is formed from carbon dioxide in the air, and is important in the weathering of rocks into soil.

But now, increasing amounts of strong acids, primarily sulfuric acid and nitric acid, are found in the rain and snow in some parts of the world. These strong acids appear to result from air pollution produced by industrial societies.

An acid is a chemical that produces a characteristic sour taste when dissolved in water. Strong acids are very powerful chemicals, capable of causing skin burns and eating holes in clothing. Even in small amounts, acids are very toxic to living organisms, which is why certain acids such as vinegar are sometimes used to keep foods from spoiling.

Acids and their opposites, bases, are measured with a

R

The author is Leader of the Columbia National Fishery Re earch Laboratory Field Station al the University of Maine, Orono.

24

special scale, the pH scale. The important thing about this scale is that it is logarithmic. This means that each unit on the scale is a factor of 10 higher or lower than the next unit. For example, an acid of pH 4 is 10 times stronger than one of pH 5, and 100 times stronger than one with pH 6.

"Acid rain" is the term used to describe all precipitation-rain, snow, sleet, etc.-that has a pH lower than 5.6, the pH expected in pure rain. Acid rain was first identified in Norway and Sweden, where the pH of precipitation declined from about 5.5 in the late 1950s to about 4.3 in the late 1970s. In eastern North America, the pH of precipitation was 4.2 to 4.4 in 1979, while that in western North America was 5.0 or higher. In Maine, the average pH of rain and snow in 1979-80 was 4.3.

The strong acids that appear to be responsible for acid rain may originate hundreds of miles from the place where they fall to earth. The burning of coal and oil that are high in sulfur produces sulfur dioxide gas. The burning of any fuel at high temperature and pressure, such as in an automobile engine, produces nitrogen oxide gas. In the United States, the major sources of these gases are electric generating stations, industries, and vehicles in major population centers from New York to Chicago.

Once in the atmosphere, the sulfur and nitrogen oxide gases are changed chemically into sulfuric and nitric acids.

Prevailing winds and storm system movements transport these acids to the Northeast. Ironically, the increased use of tall smokestacks and devices to remove ash and soot from smoke, introduced to alleviate air pollution near the

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

The pH scale ranges from Oto 14. A value of 7 is neutral, neither acid nor alkaline. Numbers higher than 7 are increasingly alkaline (or basic) and numbers lower than 7 are increasingly acid. The pH of some common household chemicals is shown. Pure rain has a pH of about 5.6; the pH of acid rain may be as low as 1.8. The average pH of precipitation in Maine during 1978-79 was about 4.3.

Maine Average Distilled

Lemon Juice Battery Acid

0

Water

Vinegar

2

3

4

Pure

Baking

Rain

Soda

5

6

7

8

9

Ammonia Lye

10 11

12 13

14

'1t

- - - - - - - N eutra 1 - - - - - - - increasing

increasing

acidity

alkalinity

source, increases the production and transport of strong acid to more distant locations.

In addition to strong acids, other pollutants are transported in the atmosphere and deposited in areas distant from any known source. Heavy metals such as mercury and elenium, and toxic organic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are emitted to the atmosphere by fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes and have been detected in acid rain. It is believed that sources and transport mechanisms are similar for acids, metals, and organic compounds, and that these pollutants may interact with each other in the environment.

T

HERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE that acid rain is adversely affecting water quality in certain regions of the world and, as a result, sensitive aquatic organisms are declining or disappearing in these regions. Affected regions include Sweden and Norway in Europe, and Nova Scotia, Ontario, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine in North America.

How much impact acid rain has on lakes and streams is determined by the buffering capacity-the ability to neutralize acids and resist change in pH-that is naturally present in rocks, soil, and water. In some regions that receive acid rain, natural buffers-limestone, for exampleare abundant and serve to protect lakes and streams from its effects. In other regions, however, such as those where the bedrock is granite, natural buffers are scarce and the pH of lakes and streams is reduced. In Norway, Ontario, and New York, some lakes have declined as much as 2 pH units over 20 years, and are now as low as pH 4. A few lakes in Maine also have a pH of 4.

Acidic lakes contain higher concentrations of metals than do similar non-acidic lakes. Metals occur not only in precipitation, but also are dissolved from oil by the acids from the precipitation. Aluminum, for example, is found in only very small amounts in acid rain but is dissolved from the water hed by acids and occurs in acidic lakes at abnormally high concentration .

The pH in lakes and stream is not constant throughout the year. Large amounts of acid are depo ited by raintorms in autumn. And acid in snow is stored in the snowpack until melting, when it then enters lakes and streams in very large amounts. As a result, the pH of lakes and treams is lowest in autumn and spring. Metal concentrations are highest at these times. During early stages of nowmelt, pH levels as low as 3.8 and aluminum concentrations as high as I part per million have been measured in streams in New York. In 1980, one stream in Maine declined from pH 6.5 to 4.9 at snowmelt.

The organic component of precipitation is poorly understood. Toxic organic compounds such as pesticides and PCBs have been found in lakes remote from any direct source. These chemicals are known to be transported through the atmosphere, but the mechanisms of transport and deposition are not known.

T

HE ACIDIFICATION of lakes and streams by acid rain has adversely affected plants and animals living in these waters. Effects on fish have been widely reported, probably because fish are highly sensitive to acids and metals and are very visible. The observed effects include death, reproductive failure, reduced growth, and skeletal deformities. The earliest recorded impacts of acidic precipitation were declines in populations of Atlantic salmon (Sa/mo salar) in a few southern Norway rivers, which were correlated with declines in river pH. Today, nine rivers in southern Norway are virtually devoid of salmon, whereas no such declines have been observed in

)CO NVERSION

A generalized picture of the acid rain process. Combustion of fossil fuels produces emissions that contain sulfur dioxide (S0 2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases. Prevailing winds and storms transport these gases to distant areas. During this time the gases are changed chemically into sulfuric acid (H 2 SO.) and nitric acid (HN0 3 ) . These strong acids are then deposited with rain and snow in forests, lakes and streams.

(Figure courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.)

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

25

79 rivers in northern Norway, which are not being acidified. A survey of more than 2,000 lakes in southern Norway revealed that about one third had lost their fish populations (primarily brown trout, Sa/mo trutta) since previous surveys in the late 1940s. The presence and status of fish populations was clearly related to lake pH: good fish populations were seldom found in lakes with a pH of less than 5. It is estimated that acid rain has affected fish populations in 20 percent of the lakes and streams in southern Norway.

In the LaCloche Mountain and Sudbury regions of Ontario, fish population declines have been recorded in more than 60 lakes. The number of species of fish present in these lakes was reduced at low pH, and the sequence in which species disappeared was similar in all lakes. Declines in salmon runs reported in rivers in southwestern Nova Scotia have been coincident with reduced pH in these rivers. In the Adirondack Mountains of New York at least 117 lakes, totaling approximately 9,000 acres, have been acidified and have lost their fish populations. A few lakes in Maine have pH below 5 and either have no fish or have only stocked hatchery fish. Other lakes have a pH of about 5, and brook trout have apparently stopped reproducing.

The primary response of fish to acid rain appears to be reproductive failure. Several mechanisms have been reported, including failure to produce and deposit fertile eggs, failure of eggs to hatch, and death of the newlyhatched fish. In general, early life history stages of fish are more susceptible than adults to low pH and other pollutants. Acute mortalities of adult fish have been observed, usually following a sudden spring thaw or heavy rain. The cause of death may be either a loss of body salts or a lack of oxygen, both caused by gill damage resulting from acids or metals. The severe conditions associated with spring melt coincide with the occurrence of sensitive life stages for some species, especially trout and salmon.

Sub-lethal effects, such as reduced growth and skeletal deformities, have also been observed in fish inhabiting acidified lakes. Reduced growth was not caused by lack of food, and may have been a result of sub-lethal stress from acids or metals. Skeletal deformities are believed to be related to a reduction in body calcium levels in response to low pH. Fish from acidified lakes may also contain high amounts of mercury, which may render them unfit for human consumption.

All other types of aquatic organisms may also be affected by acid rain. Decomposition of organic matter by bacteria is slowed down at low pH, causing an accumulation of organic matter in lakes and reducing the amount of nutrients returned to the lake. The species of algae present also change in acid lakes. Green algae and diatoms (important food for zooplankton) decrease, and brown algae (less suitable as food) increase. The abundance of Sphagnum mats increases as lake pH declines, and other species of rooted plants are displaced.

In Ontario, lakes with pH greater than 5 had 9 to 16 species of zooplankton of which 3 or 4 were dominant;

26

lakes with pH less than 5 contained I to 7 species, of which only I or 2 were dominant. The number of species of aquatic invertebrates, especially snails and mayflies, generally declines as lake pH declines. In Norway, the presence of IO species of aquatic invertebrates was significantly related to lake pH, and the number of species of mayflies and stoneflies declined from 8 to 12 at pH over 6.5 to I to 2 at pH 4.0 to 4.5. Snails are not found in Norwegian lakes with pH less than 5.2 and are reduced in abundance at pH 5.2 to 6.6.

Recent studies have shown that many of the changes in algae, zooplankton, and aquatic invertebrates that have been observed in acidified lakes could be caused by the disappearance of fish from the lakes rather than by direct effect of acids and metals. When fish disappear the invertebrates no longer have any predators, and consequently the relationships between the species may change drastically. These changes, in turn, cause changes in the kind and amount of algae that are eaten.

A

NUMBER OF remedial and abatement tech-

niques are available to address the acid rain problem. Reductions in emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere are an obvious solution. But legislation limiting atmospheric emissions cannot be obtained without sound scientific evidence that links causes with effects and documents the value of resources threatened if control is not obtained. Several alternate solutions to the acid precipitation problem are available as interim solution . Among these are the neutralization of acidic lakes and stream , by addition of lime or other basic substances, and breeding of more acid-tolerant strains of fish. These techniques have value in preserving valuable fisheries or genetic stocks until permanent solutions to the problem are found, but they should not themselves be expected to provide permanent solutions.

The acid rain phenomenon has only recently been recognized and there are many gaps in our knowledge of this subject. High priority should be placed on a coordinated research effort to determine with certainty the source of the strong acids, the sources of metals and toxic organic compounds, and the factors that determine the locations where these materials are deposited. The relative importance of acids, metals, and toxic organic compounds in causing the observed effects also needs to be determined.

The factors that apparently increase or decrease the susceptibility of similar bodies of water to acidification are poorly understood, and the factors that govern the susceptibility of different organisms to changes in pH are unknown. The location and amount of vulnerable habitat is only generally known and the relation between acid precipitation inputs and lake and stream response is not known. Although research spending in North America has been woefully inadequate, these information gaps need to be filled before a rational future course of action can be determined. â&#x20AC;˘

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

a statement of the policies followed by the Fishery Research and Management Division in stocking Maine waters

T

HE SCIENCE OF FISH CULTURE has come a long way in Maine since 1864 when David Pottle hatched-out a few eggs and raised some trout in a spring brook on his Head Tide farm. Today, modern fish hatcheries and rearing stations produce more and better fish more efficiently than Mr. Pottle ever dreamed possible.

As hatcheries have changed through the years, so too have fish stocking procedures and policies. The stocking of hatchery fish in "the good old days" was done in a hit or miss manner, with little thought given to the fish-if it looked like trout water, trout were stocked there; likewise, salmon and the other hatchery fish of the day.

Stocking policies have developed and changed as fishery biologists and fish culturists have gained more knowledge of their complex fields. The following is a statement and description of procedures currently followed by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for stocking landlocked salmon, brook trout, lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and warm-water species.

Although these written guidelines are brief, it should be recognized that they result from thousands of mandays of research on the survival, behavior, and ecology of both wild and hatchery-reared fish, in Maine and elsewhere. It should also be recognized that these procedures cannot be considered final or ultimate; changes will undoubtedly be made as more and better information is acquired through continuing research.

S

TOCKINGS IN MAINE are divided into several categories as follows: Introductory stocking is a program for the purpose of establishing a species not originally present, which will then be able to maintain itsef by natural reproduction.

Stocking is discontinued as soon as the species has become established.

Maintenance stocking is a program of routine, continuous stocking intended to supplement or substitute for natural reproduction. Small, hatchery fish are released, they survive and grow to an acceptable size, and then they are caught by anglers. Maintenance stocking is done where there is suitable habitat, limited natural reproduction, and sufficient potential fishing pressure to insure that the fish will be harvested.

Experimental stocking is used in special situations. It is sometimes difficult to predict the success of a proposed -stocking program where complex biological interactions exist. In such cases, the Department may undertake stocking on an experimental or tentative basis. Fish stocked on an experimental basis may be marked by fin clipping or tagging. Plans for recovery of marks and analysis of the

Modern fish hatcheries are constantly ¡ striving for greater efficiency and a better product. Through research programs, fishery managers also are refining policies governing fish stocking, hoping to derive the greatest benefit from valuable hatchery fish.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

27

data are made. The program may then be changed to a routine maintenance operation, or it may be discontinued, depending upon the results of the study.

Legal-size trout stocking involves the release of legal-size trout in waters where they are expected to be caught within a short time. Growth or survival for more than a few weeks to a year is not expected, and the waters stocked may not be suitable for more than a few weeks in the spring. This type of stocking provides a short-term artificial fishery with no lasting benefits, it has no scientific or biological basis, and it receives the lowest priority of any stocking done by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Stocking private waters: The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife does not provide fish for stocking private waters. Fish may be purchased for stocking private waters from any of several commercial hatcheries. The approval of the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is required before any fish can be stocked in any Maine waters.

C

URRENT GUIDELINES for the stocking of the various fish species are as follows.

LANDLOCKED SALMON

tion. During these experimental stockings, stocking rates, frequency, and size of fish may differ from those outlined in this policy. Experimental stockings are set up on a timetable and their results evaluated. A decision on the management of a water is made at the end of these experimental stockings.

BROOK TROUT Biological Stocking

..,. Lakes and pondsBrook trout may be stocked in waters capable of supporting trout but having insufficient natural reproduction to provide good fishing. Waters with the highest priority are stocked with small fish (either fry or fall fingerlings) which are expected to grow to attractive size, thereby substituting small, hatchery-reared fish for that part of a trout's life cycle which is ordinarily carried out through natural reproduction.

Public access must be provided on all waters which are stocked. Minim um access acceptable for stocking purposes is the right or privilege to reach a body of water on foot without trespass.

..,. Size when stocked..,. Where StockedSalmon stocking is intended to supplement inadequate natual reproduction. It is considered where the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of a water permit management which will provide a salmon population capable of supporting a significant fishery.

Salmon and lake trout (togue) may be stocked in combination in waters where there is no problem of growth and where suitable togue habitat exists, but stocking density for both species may have to be reduced below the normal.

..,. Size when stockedRoutine stocking involves two sizes (ages) of salmon: (1) spring yearlings (SY), (2) fall yearlings (FY). As a general rule, the larger fish are used where competition and/ or predation are more severe.

..,. Stocking ratesThe number of landlocked salmon stocked is determined by the surface acreage of the body of water. Rates are as follows: For spring yearlings (SY), up to 2 per acre.

For fall yearlings (FY), up to I per acre.

..,. Stocking frequencyNormal policy is annual stocking.

..,. Stocking procedureWe know that in waters containing fish-eating species, newly stocked salmon are subject to predation. To keep predation to a minimum, salmon should be scatter-planted along deep-water shores.

..,. Experimental stockingStudies are often undertaken to determine whether a body of water will support a significant salmon popula-

28

Fry approximately I V2 to 3 inches long are stocked in the spring or early summer where growing conditions will produce a fish of at least 6 inches at ice-out the following spring. Fry are the most economical to stock where competition is low (negligible) and high survival is attained. Success from fry stocking usually decreases as competition increases. Fry stocking preserves the esthetics of trout fishing by closely approximating natural conditions.

Fall fingerlings approximately 4 to 5 inches long are stocked in waters where conditions for fry survival and growth are reduced by competition or other factors. Fall fingerlings usually grow to a size of at least 6 inches by the following spring.

..,. Stocking ratesStocking rates are based upon the ability of a body of waer to produce good trout growth. Because most food organisms are produced in shallow water, lakes and ponds having a high proportion of shallow water are usually the most productive and are stocked at higher rates than deep lakes and ponds.

Fry stocking rates are based upon the number of acres of lake bottom falling within the contours: 0-10 feet, 10-20 feet, and 20 feet and over. Fry stocking shall not exceed the following rates: 300 per acre for depths of 10 feet or less plus 100 per acre for depths of 10 feet to 20 feet plus 40 per acre for depths exceeding 20 feet Fall fingerling rates are based upon the number of acres of lake bottom falling within the contours 0-10

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Su mmer 1981

feet, 10-20 feet, and 20 feet and over. Fall fingerling stocking shall not exceed the following rates: 150 per acre for depths of IO feet or less plus 50 per acre for depths of 10 feet to 20 feet plus 20 per acre for depths exceeding 20 feet

..,._ Stocking frequencyLakes and ponds will be stocked annually except where special conditions justify otherwise.

Non-biological stocking

..,._ Legal-size troutReclaimed ponds, the first year after reclamation, are stocked with legal-size brook trout not to exceed 20 fish per surface acre.

Hatchery production of brook trout over and above the requirements of the biological programs is available as legal-size fish for stocking to provide immediate fishing in brooks, streams, and some lakes and ponds.

The numbers of legal-size trout stocked in a body of water are based upon the total number of legal-size trout available, the number of waters requiring stocking, fishing pressure, and other factors determined by Department personnel.

LAKE TROUT (TOGUE)

..,._ Introductory stockingIntroductions of togue into suitable waters have proved to be a very satisfactory management technique

in Maine. In recent years, excellent togue fisheries have been successfully established in several important lakes.

Togue introductions are made at two rates, depending upon expected fishing pressure during the years of the introductory program and the number of acres of water where temperatures are 60°F and colder all year.

Introductory stocking rates are: (I) Twenty-five spring yearlings per acre of water 60° F and colder where fishing pressure is light to moderate.

(2) Forty spring yearlings per acre of water 60°F and colder where fishing pressure is heavy.

No togue introductions should be considered where smelts are rare or absent or until smelts are introduced and become well established. Togue should not be introduced into waters where the dissolved oxygen in the mid-thermocline is below 5.0 ppm or below 3.0 ppm five feet above the bottom. Four or five annual plants are usually sufficient to establish this species. Follow-up studies to assess stocking results and the need for further stocking are undertaken by Fishery Division personnel.

..,._ Maintenance stockingTogue spawn on rocky shoals in lakes and ponds and do not need special conditions in tributaries for natural reproduction. Facilities for natural reproduction are often available, and maintenance stocking may be unnecessary. When facilities for natural reproduction are poor, maintenance stocking is required.

Maintenance stocking takes into account fishing pressure, the size of the existing lake trout population, and the number of acres of water where temperatures are 60° F and colder all year.

Stocking rates are: (I) Five spring yearlings per acre of water 60°F and colder where the existing togue population is fair and fishing pressure is light.

(2) Ten spring yearlings per acre of water 60°F and colder where the existing togue population is fair and fishing pressure is moderate.

(3) Twenty spring yearlings per acre of water 60°F and colder where fishing pressure is moderate to heavy and the existing population is low.

Lake trout are stocked in spring and early summer when surface waters are cool.

BROWN TROUT

..,._ Introductory stocking (lakes and ponds)The ability of brown trout to compete successfully with warm-water fishes has enabled the Department to

The ultimate objective of sound fish rearing and stocking programs is to assure the best possible returns to the fisherman.

29

Anglers' reports of clipped fins and jaw tags are used by fishery biologists to learn more about fish age, growth rate, survival and importance of hatchery fish to the fishery.

provide brown trout fisheries in some central and southern Maine waters where salmon and brook brout stocking programs have previously failed. Care must be taken when considering brown trout introductions, for this species is considered a serious competitor of salmon and brook trout.

A stocking rate of five fall yearlings per acre is recommended for introductory stockings o f brown trout.

.,. Maintenance stocking (lakes and ponds)Brown trout may be stocked on a maintenance basis in lakes and ponds with inadequate facilities for natural reproduction, which have suitable water quality, which have brown trout already present, and which offer little chance for successful management for salmon or brook trout.

The stocking rate is one to five yearling brown trout per acre. The yearling brown trout average about 8 inches in length, but many of them are not caught until they have grown considerably larger .

.,.Maintenance stocking (streams)Several streams in southern and central areas of the state provide brown trout fishing through maintenance stocking programs. Numbers stocked are based upon fish available, fishing pressure, and other factors determined by Department personnel.

RAINBOW TROUT Experimental introductions of rainbow trout were begun in 1968 in several ponds and two rivers to provide in formation on the biological feasibility of rainbow trout management in Maine. These introductions did not provide any better angling than that produced by our native salmon and trout species. We were unable to establish naturally reproducing populations of rainbow trout separate from the several waters that now have natural populations. For these reasons we are not rearing or stocking rainbow trout in the public waters at this time.

WARM-WATER FISH Introductions of smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white perch, and pickerel in state-owned waters are accomplished by transferring wild fish trapped at a nearby lake.

The transfers are made in the spring or summer, and the introduced fish establish themselves by natural reproduction. One successful spawning is usually sâ&#x20AC;˘1fficient to establish the species.

Great care must be taken in selecting wild fish for transfer because of the danger of spreading diseases and parasites. Many specimens from the donor lake must be examined to determine that the fish are truly disease- and

30

parasite-free. The bass tapeworm is one of the dangerous parasites that could be spread thro ugh careless introductions.

Applicants who wish to stock warm-water game fish, pan fish, or forage fish, or to rear bait fish in private ponds, must furnish the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife with the location of the pond to be stocked and the species desired . Regional fishery biologists will notify the Commissioner if the desired species will be compatible with fisher y m anagement in the watershed where the pond is located. The biologist will also stipulate sources where disease-free fish can be obtained for this introduction. The Commissioner may grant a permit to the applicant to obtain the desired fish from Maine waters by angling or other legal methods, from a designated source.

The applicant must comply with legal length and daily bag limits when obtaining the fish from state waters for the introduction .

I

T SHOULD BE OBVIOUS that a lot of thought and work went into the formulation of this fish stocking policy. And it should also be remembered that adjustments in it may be made as new research findings come to light. It is only through continuing review, appraisal, and updating of these guidelines that we are sure of the best possible use of the hatchery product and, in turn, the best returns to the angler. â&#x20AC;˘

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS OSPREY INFORMATION NEEDED Assistance of the public is being sought in a study to determine the status of the osprey in Maine. Part of the study, initiated by the department's Wildlife Division and the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, involves an inventory of active osprey nests statewide.

Anyone knowing of such nests is asked to report details about the location-a map would be useful-and any osprey activity noted. Reports should be sent to: Osprey Project, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469.

Information is also sought on nests that have been active in the recent past.

The osprey has been the subject of intense interest along the entire Atlantic coast because of past declines due to DDT and other environmental contaminants. Maine's ospreys did not appear to have been hard hit, but no one really knows.

The osprey, like the bald eagle, is sensitive to environmental changes. It is important to know the status of such potentially vulnerable species, both for the birds themselves and because they represent a good indicator of the health of our environment.

The study will yield baseline in formation on osprey nest locations and how well the birds are reproducing, an aid to future workers in determining the status of ospreys.

Incidental to another survey, the Wildlife Division recently located more than 400 osprey nests along the Maine coast, but the location and number of nests elsewhere in the state is unknown.

BEAR SEASON SET The fall portion of Maine's 1981 bear hunting season opens October I and will end November 28 unless closed earlier to prevent an excessive bear kill.

The 1981 season, which included a

spring season, was set in April by the legislature, ending months of uncertainty that began in December when a split, spring and fall season the department tried to establish was overturned on a technicality.

Following new public hearings, the department's Advisory Council was split evenly on two season options, one providing for a fall hunt only, the other including a spring season. Commissioner Glenn Manuel broke the deadlock with a vote in favor of a fall hunting season only, citing the growing public sentiment against the spring hunt and the damage he felt it was doing to the image of the Maine sportsman.

However, guides and other commercial interests who had already booked bear hunters in anticipation of a spring '81 season successfully prevailed upon the legislature to reinstate it. But at the same time it did that, the legislature passed another bill that effectively eliminates spring bear hunting beginning in 1982. That

The old tradition of presenting the first Atlantic salmon caught in a Maine river to the President of the United States was revived this year. Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Glenn Manuel (left) and Ivan Mallett of Lincoln, who caught the fish, took the 8-pound sea-run salmon to the White House where Maine Governor Joseph E. Brennan presented it to Vice President George Bush.

Bush, who stood in for President Reagan, promised to share a bite with the president. Governor Brennan noted that restoration of the tradition of presenting the first salmon to the president is symbolic of both the restoration of clean rivers in Maine and the restoration of significant runs of Atlantic salmon. Senator William S. Cohen credited the state and its industries for committing $500 million thus far to cleaning up polluted waters, a task he said was 70 percent completed. After Mallett replayed 1 the details of how he caught the salmon on the first day of the season on the Penobscot River, he presented the vice president with a duplicate of the fly he used. From Commissioner Manuel the vice president also received a copy of THE MAINE WAY cookbook of fish and game recipes, which details several ways to prepare Atlantic salmon. Mallett observed that although he has landed much larger salmon, none will have more memories attached than the one that went to the White House.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

31

bill sets up framework dates for future bear seasons of September I through November 30 and gives the fish and wildlife commissioner the authority to set the season within those dates (decision to be made public by January 15 of the year in question) or to terminate a season in progress if necessary to protect the resource.

SALMON LAW CHANGE Nonresident Atlantic salmon fishermen are advised that a fishing license and Atlantic salmon stamp are now required in designated areas of the major salmon rivers where previously no license or stamp was required.

The law change was passed as an emergency measure by the Maine legislature and went into effect immediately upon being signed by Governor Joseph E . Brennan, on June 15.

The law establishes physical features-bridges in most cases-as the downstream limits of the new areas where licenses and stamps are required. Previously, they weren't required below the head-of-tide.

DEER SEASONS TO BE SET Maine's 1981 deer huntjng seasons

are scheduled to be set in late July, too late to be included in this issue.

Season lengths and zones proposed by the Wildlife Division were unchanged from 1980's, however.

New this year will be a 3-day muzzleloaders-only season, to follow the close of the regular firearms season on deer. To hunt in this special season, which was established by the legislature , will require a special license in addition to the regular hunting license-fees: resident, $7; nonresident, $30; alien, $45. Only one deer may be taken per year, however, regardless of season or weapon used.

Details on the 1981 deer hunting seasons may be obtained by writing to : DEER SEASONS, Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, ME 04333. A self-addressed envelope would be appreciated.

his way through the ranks, becoming chief warden in March.

Named in June to fill the chief warden post was John F. Marsh, who had been acting deputy chief warden since March. The new deputy chief warden is Charles A. Merrill, promoted from lieutenant in Division A .

Both Marsh and Merrill first worked for the department on a part-time basis in the early 1960s. Merrill became a district game warden in 1963; Marsh joined the department full-time as the safety officer in 1966 and transferred to the Warden Service as game warden supervisor (now lieutenant) in 1973.

In the Wildlife Division, George J. Matula, Jr., of Orono, has been named black bear study leader. Matula had previous experience in bear research ill Pennsylvania and recently had supervised field research for a University of Maine project on predator habitat use in northern Maine. He has a master's degree in wildlife management from Penn State University and expects to receive a Ph.D. this fall, also from Penn State.

PERSONNEL NOTES Recent personnel changes within the Fish and Wildlife Department include the following: In the Warden Service, Chief Warden Russell E. Dyer has retired after 20 years of state service to pursue a new career in private business. Dyer began his career with the department as a district game warden and worked

1981 LICENSE FEES* RESIDENT Hunling ( 16 and oldt"r) Fishing ( 16 and older) Combinalion Hnnling and f'ishing ( 16 and older ) Junior Hun1ing I IO lo 15 ~·ears inclusive) Comhinalion •·ishing and An·ht!'r~ Hunling

( 16 and older I Servil'e,man (n"'lidenl) Comhinalion Hunling and 1-' i!oohing Archer~ Hunling ( 16 and older) Trapping ( 16 and older I Junior Trapping t 10 lo 15 ~t"ar, indusi\'t•) Guido ( 18 and older I

$

9.00 9.00 16.00 1.00

16.00 5.00 9 .00 25.00 5.00

34.00

NONRESIDENT CITIZEN Rig Gamt" Hunting ( IO ,rar, and older) Season f'ishing ( 16 and older) Junior ~ason Hshinl! ( 12 lo 15 ini'I.) 15-dai •·ishin2 7-da,- f'ishinl!

3-dai •·ishin2 Combination Huntinl! and f'ishinR ( 16 and older I Small Garn• Hunlin2 (16 and older > Junior Small Game Hunting ( to lo 15 )·ean, indusi\e) Archer) Huntin2 (16 and older > Guido 08 and older> Trappin2 (ani a2•)

65.00

30.00 3.50 20.00 17.00 9.00 87.00 35.00 15.00 35.00 130.00 300.00

NONRESIDENT ALIEN

Naf i•,11111 Hunti1Jg & Fishi1ig l)tt)"®

lOth.J\Jmive1·s1u·y/ Sept. 26,1981 32

Bi2 Game Hunlin21 IO and older I Season FishinR Combination Hunting and flshing ( to and older) Small Game Hun1in2 110 and older) Archery Huntin2 ( 16 and older I Guido 08and older)

105.00 50.00 140.00 50.00 50.00 155.00

•Nor includ,n~ i1suin~ Uf.!elll Jee of 5/.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1981

POSTMASTER: If undeliverable, do not return.

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

284 State St.,

Sta. #41

Augusta, Maine 04333