Help us Keep it Maine: Protect our Waters from Aquatic Invasive Species
Maine has some of the country’s most pristine and healthy waters, which support high-quality habitat for fish and wildlife as well as endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. On our inland waters, anglers can fish for native brook trout, Arctic charr, landlocked salmon, and lake trout, just to name a few.
Unfortunately, Maine waters, as well as the fish, wildlife, and recreation they support, are threatened each year by introductions of fish, plants, diseases, and other aquatic invasive species that compete with and displace native natural communities.
Why should I care?
Once an aquatic invasive species has established in a body of water, it is extremely difficult for it to be eradicated. These efforts are costly, often risky, and not always successful and introductions have the potential to change our natural places and the way we enjoy them forever.
What can be done?
Prevention is key. So much of the spread comes from people simply enjoying the great outdoors. It’s our duty as those who enjoy using Maine’s waters to become informed, attentive, and accountable for our potential role in the spread of invasive species and to take steps to protect Maine’s waters.
SELECT YOUR PREVENTION ADVENTURE:
Motorboating
1 Clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from watercraft, motor, trailer, and equipment before leaving water access. Dispose of debris in a trash receptacle or a responsible location away from the water.
- Scrub hull using a stiff brush.
- Rinse watercraft, trailer, and equipment with high pressure hot water when possible.
- Jet Boats and Personal Watercraft (PWCs) users: Clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from hull, trailer, intake grate and steering nozzle, etc.
- Sailors: Clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from the centerboard, bilge board wells, rudder post, trailer, and other equipment before leaving water access.
- At home before your next trip, flush motor according to owner's manual.
2Drain water from the watercraft prior to entering a waterbody and when preparing to leave a launch site.
- Maine law requires that prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters must remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers, live wells, ballast tanks) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.
- Boats should NOT be drained on the boat launch ramp. Since the transfer of aquatic invasive species to new areas within a water body can worsen the infestation, especially in high traffic launch areas, the preferred practice is to prevent direct draining back into the water body even when leaving the water body.
- Motorboat operators: Lower the boat motor to encourage additional draining.
- Jet Boats and Personal Watercraft (PWCs) users: Run engine 5-10 seconds to blow out excess water and vegetation from internal drive before leaving water access.
3Dry completely before reuse.
View answers to frequently asked questions (PDF)
Never transport any aquatic plants on watercraft or equipment (including trailers, anchors, nets, etc.). Fines can be up to $2,500 for transporting any aquatic plant and up to $500 for failing to affix the Lake and River Protection Sticker to your motorized craft. Learn more about Lake and River Protection Stickers.
If you see or suspect someone is moving live fish, contact the Maine Warden Service immediately at 1-800-ALERT-US or report the offense at MaineOGT.org
For more information on invasive aquatic plants, please visit: maine.gov/dep/water/invasives
Lake and River Protection Sticker
All motorized watercraft on inland waters must display the lake and river protection sticker ("Preserve Maine Waters" sticker). The sticker is physically attached to the Maine watercraft registration and included in the registration fee. Owners of non-Maine registered boats are required to purchase and affix a Lake and River Protection sticker.
Planning to do some fishing while you are boating?
Paddling
1Clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from your non-motorized watercraft, gear, paddles, floats, ropes, anchors, dip nets, and trailer before leaving water access.
- Scrub hull using a stiff brush.
- Rinse watercraft, trailer, and equipment with high pressure hot water, when possible.
- Dispose of debris in a trash receptacle or a responsible location away from the water.
2Drain water from watercraft, sponges, bailers, and water containing devices at a location that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.
- Maine law requires that prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters must remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.
3Dry completely before reuse.
View answers to frequently asked questions (PDF)
Never transport any aquatic plants on watercraft or equipment (including trailers, anchors, nets, etc.). Fines can be up to $2,500 for transporting any aquatic plant and up to $500 for failing to affix the Lake and River Protection Sticker to your motorized craft.
If you see or suspect someone is moving live fish, contact the Maine Warden Service immediately at 1-800-ALERT-US or report the offense at MaineOGT.org
For more information on invasive aquatic plants, please visit: maine.gov/dep/water/invasives
Planning to do some fishing while you are paddling?
Fishing & Harvesting Baitfish and Smelt
1Clean off plants, animals, and mud from gear and equipment including waders, footwear, ropes, anchors, bait traps, dip nets, seines, downrigger cables, fishing lines, and field gear before leaving water access.
- Scrub off any visible material on footwear with a stiff brush.
- Dispose of debris in a trash receptacle or a responsible location away from the water.
2Drain water from the watercraft prior to entering a waterbody and when preparing to leave a launch site.
- Maine law requires that prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters must remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers, live wells, ballast tanks) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.
- Boats should NOT be drained on the boat launch ramp. Since the transfer of aquatic invasive species to new areas within a water body can worsen the infestation, especially in high traffic launch areas, the preferred practice is to prevent direct draining back into the water body even when leaving the water body.
3Dry completely before reuse.
- Drying should occur for multiple days, when possible, especially for equipment that is soft or porous such as waders, seines, and dip nets.
View answers to frequently asked questions (PDF)
Fish & harvest baitfish and smelt responsibly:
Under Maine law, you must immediately kill any fish that you decide to keep, and never transport any live fish (other than legal baitfish).
Never introduce fish or fish eggs into any inland water, including private, small, artificially constructed ponds, without a permit. MDIFW does issue permits to allow for safe and appropriate private pond stocking. Applicants must show that the stocking will not create adverse risks to native species, and that fish will come from pre-approved and licensed private hatcheries. Learn more about private pond fish stocking and the permit process.
Make sure you are using legal baitfish species. The best practice is to always check that you have legal baitfish, regardless of whether you legally harvested the baitfish yourself or purchased from a bait retail location or dealer. For a quick guide to identifying legal and illegal baitfish species see the Baitfish Information section.
Don’t dump your bait! Properly dispose of unused baitfish on land or in the trash. Never release any live baitfish into a water body. Dispose of unused worms in the trash, not in the water or on land.
Remove all bycatch of species not considered legal baitfish when harvesting for personal or commercial use. For more information on licensure and laws regarding baitfish harvest see the Baitfish Information section.
Consider using non-felt soled boots to further reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species. If you do use felt soled boots, thoroughly dry the boots and/or soak in a disinfecting solution before moving to another body of water.
If you see or suspect someone is moving live fish, contact the Maine Warden Service immediately at 1-800-ALERT-US or report the offense at MaineOGT.org