Meeting Minutes

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
December 4, 2024 @ 9:30am
353 Water Street, 4th floor conference room
Augusta, ME
(and virtually via Microsoft Teams)

Attending:
Timothy Peabody, Deputy Commissioner
Nate Webb, Wildlife Division Director
Jen Vashon, Game Research and Management Section Supervisor
Liz Latti, Fisheries & Hatcheries Division Director
Alexander Fish, Endangered Species Coordinator
Bob Cordes, Special Projects Biologist
Phillip DeMaynadier, Wildlife Diversity Section Supervisor
Mark Latti, Communications Director
Angie Dionne, Licensing and Registration Division Director
Dan Scott, Game Warden Colonel
Cody Lounder, Game Warden Corporal
Andrew Smart, Game Warden
Becky Orff, Secretary/Recorder

COUNCIL MEMBERS
Kristin Peet (Chair) - via Teams
Shelby Rousseau (vice-Chair) via Teams
Eric Ward
Al Cowperthwaite
Roger (Rod) Grant
Ed Pineau via Teams
Tony Liguori via Teams
Mike Gawtry via Teams
Vacant Washington County seat

GUESTS
1 in person 2 online

I. Call to Order

Kristin Peet, Council Chair called the meeting to order.

I-A. Pledge of Allegiance

II. Moment of Silence

III. Introductions

Introductions were made.

IV. Acceptance of Minutes of Previous Meeting

A motion was made by Mr. Pineau to approve the minutes of the previous meeting and that was seconded by Mr. Ward.

Vote: Unanimous in favor minutes approved.

V. Rulemaking

A. Step 3

There were no items under Step 3.

B. Step 2

1. Species of Special Concern

Mr. Webb stated this was to update the species of special concern list to reflect changes that were made to the endangered and threatened species list (E&T) which occurred in statute. The proposal would remove eight species from the special concern list because they had been added to the E&T list. We also took the opportunity to propose updates to a number of both common and scientific names to reflect updates to nomenclature for those species. We were also proposing to add three species to the special concern list to improve information for those species. A public hearing was held on November 4th and no one attended the hearing. We received one written comment from Maine Audubon in support of the proposal.

A motion was made by Mr. Cowperthwaite and seconded by Mr. Ward to move the item to Step 3 for final adoption.

Vote: Unanimous in favor move item to Step 3.

A motion was made by Mrs. Peet to accept the proposal as presented and that was seconded by Mr. Ward.

Vote: Unanimous in favor motion passed.

2. Upland Game Season

Mr. Webb stated this was the result of an extended legislative discussion about moose hunting seasons and conflicts between moose hunters and other hunters and the general public. We were asked to convene a stakeholder group to discuss the issue. The group developed a report with a number of recommendations, one of which was to adjust the start of the upland game season such that we would have a one day season the last Saturday of September every year and then the season would close until October 1st. The legislature amended the statue to allow the season framework to be adjusted to reflect the recommendation. We told the Committee we would bring the recommendation forward through rulemaking. A public hearing was held on November 4th with 12 people in attendance. All 12 provided testimony, most opposing the proposal. One testified neither for nor against (MPGA). We received 50 written comments, 44 were opposed, 1 in support and the remainder were neither for nor against or expressed concern with parts of the proposal. The feedback received was fairly consistent. There was concern the proposal favored moose hunters over others; upland game hunters would lose opportunity; conflicts experienced by moose hunters were perceived and not necessarily a decline in harvest; concern over loss of days of upland game hunting. There were a number of comments that pointed out that the season change would occur statewide, yet moose hunting only occurred in a small number of WMDs during that time. Based on that and overwhelming testimony from the public with little support for the proposal the Department was recommending not moving forward with the proposal. The Commissioner was withdrawing the proposal.

Council Member Comments and Questions

Mr. Liguori stated he was in favor of withdrawing the proposal.

Mr. Pineau stated all he heard was opposition to the proposal.

Mr. Ward stated he was involved with the stakeholder group and felt it was a good compromise.

Mr. Webb stated we were reconvening the moose stakeholder group and would be discussing the public survey and general feedback they received. The survey seemed to reaffirm the public comments. The vast majority of hunters did not feel there was an issue with conflicts, it seemed to be a segment of the guiding community that felt there were conflicts.

Mr. Gawtry stated from the comments he received it was loud and clear we were moving in the right direction by withdrawing the proposal.

Mr. Cowperthwaite stated there seemed to be a conflict of people moose hunting on a side road and partridge hunters driving in. You couldn't block roads. He didnt know how it would work if you had some kind of sign to put up and take down as a courtesy that someone was hunting there.

Mr. Grant stated he had also received negative comments on the proposal. The grouse hunters were not in favor.

Mr. Cordes stated discussing solutions, one of the recommendations of the stakeholder group was continuance of our education material, the voluntary moose education packet.

Deputy Commissioner Peabody stated we put a lot of time into stakeholder groups. When sitting on a stakeholder group representing something he thought it was important if their role was representing an organization to seriously reach out to that organization and get some response back as to what their position was and bring that perspective back to the table.

Mr. Pineau stated there would likely have been a bill in the legislature during the upcoming session if we had moved forward with the rule. It was the most comments he had received since being on the Advisory Council.

There were no further questions or comments.

C. Step 1

There were no items under Step 1.

VI. Other Business

Mr. Webb gave an overview of 2024 deer hunting season. There had been 40,000 deer harvested so far, which was the 4th or 5th highest harvest. Most of the harvest took place during the firearms hunting season. Biological data sampling was being conducted as well as sex and age ratios. There had also been some meat consumption concerns that were addressed. The moose season success rate for the September bull season was 72%.

Colonel Scott discussed enforcement during the moose and deer seasons. Additional online training would be helpful to avoid mistaken kills and baiting for deer was a growing concern. It had been a safe year with few incidents.

Mr. Webb stated the USFWS had released a draft lynx recovery plan which we were reviewing. It was a path towards delisting.

Mr. Pineau asked about baiting in other states.

Mr. Webb stated it was allowed in other states with varied regulations. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recommended prohibiting baiting due to the increase in the chance for disease spread such as chronic wasting disease (CWD). States were clamping down as disease reached closer to their borders.

Mrs. Peet stated that feeding of deer was legal but baiting was not.

Mr. Webb stated there were negative consequences with feeding but in some instances there was increased survival. There were some inconsistencies. We were considering the aspects of CWD in our management plan.

Deputy Commissioner Peabody gave an update on the hatchery projects for New Gloucester, Grand Lake Stream and Embden. The projects had required an additional $7 million to complete. The Governor had approved the additional funds.

Mrs. Latti stated that there would be a proposed $7 increase for fishing licenses in the next budget with $1 going towards boat access and $6 going toward staffing and resources for species of greatest conservation need.

VII. Councilor Reports

Councilors gave reports.

VIII. Public Comments & Questions

There were no public questions or comments.

IX. Agenda Items & Schedule Date for Next Meeting

The Council would be notified of the next meeting date at a later time.

X. Adjournment

A motion was made by Mr. Pineau and that was seconded by Mr. Ward to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.