The Casting Competition has been rescheduled for Sunday, June 8th due to the weather forecast.
Eastern Maine Fly Casting Competition: June 8 9am at the Pleasant River Fish and Game Conservation Association, 1597 Tibbetstown Rd. Columbia, ME. Hosted by DETU & PRF&GCA. Fishing Gear Sale & Swap: Same date, time, and location. Individuals, conservation organizations, and gear manufacturers may rent a sell/swap table . General Admission $5, Lunch $10, Table for Sell/Swap $15, Competition $20. Contact Al West 207-632-7267 text/call or email aldime04658
gmail.com (aldime04658[at]gmail[dot]com) to register.
Maine’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) 2025 Revision Deadline June 7 The Maine SWAP is the blueprint for conserving fish, wildlife, and plants, used to prevent species from becoming Endangered. The plan outlines hundreds of Species of Greatest Conservation Need; it describes their habitats, identifies key threats, and recommends actions to prevent at-risk species from becoming Endangered.
Created in 2005, the plan is revised every ten years to evaluate the health of wildlife populations and identify opportunities to conserve species and vital habitats. Last updated in 2015, we are now actively working on a 2025 update.
Step 1: Review the list of Threats and Conservation Actions
Step 2: Share your input Based on your personal understanding of and familiarity with Maine’s wildlife and habitats, please list the top 4 Significant Threats and top 4 Conservation Actions needed in these three habitats
· Maine’s Coastal and Marine Habitats
· Maine’s Freshwater Aquatic Habitats
· Maine’s Terrestrial and Freshwater Wetland Habitat
Conservation partners and the public are critical to updating this plan and putting the recommendations into practice. More information is on the IFW webpage. Provide feedback by using the online form by Saturday, June 7. 2025.
June 13 Deadline to submit comments to Maine DEP on the Water Quality Certificates (WQC) for the four dams on the lower Kennebec River. Here is another opportunity for you to speak up for a healthier Kennebec.
Maine DEP is reviewing the WQC as part of a federal licensing and relicensing process that
only occurs every 30-50 years. Many of you expressed your concerns last May during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hearings and comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shawmut Dam relicensing and the license amendments for the Lockwood, Hydro-Kennebec, and Weston Dams on the Kennebec River. FERC ignored public input asking for a collaborative solution when they issued the Final EIS this past February. We know their proposed solution won’t work because they have not worked anywhere else in the world.
Tell the DEP that the fish passage proposals in the Final EIS fail to meet the legal standard for protecting sea-run fish species.
· In accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, dam owners are required to apply for a state WQC during federal relicensing. The purpose of the WQC is to ensure that the proposed project will not violate state water quality standards.
· For fish passage, the most relevant water quality standard for Class B rivers in Maine, such as portions of the lower Kennebec, is that they “must be of sufficient quality to support ALL aquatic species indigenous to those waters without detrimental changes in the resident biological community” (Title 38 M.R.S. §465).
The Edwards and Fort Halifax Dam removals, and the restoration work on the Penobscot River, have shown that solutions exist that address the needs of all river users, including industry. A healthy river that supports millions of sea-run fish can co-exist with industry if properly planned as part of restoration projects. Maine’s legacy of bringing rivers back to life has proven that effective fish passage is a win for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and local economies.
Join Trout Unlimited and our partners in the Kennebec River Coalition: Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Rivers, Natural Resource Council of Maine and the Wabanaki Nation, residents and anglers to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to create a river, filled with fish, that will support wildlife, encourage new recreational opportunities, grow
economies, and support a vibrant ecosystem in the Gulf of Maine. For more info contact Luke Frankel lfrankelnrcm.org (lfrankel[at]nrcm[dot]org) or Bronya Lechtman blechtmannrcm.org (blechtman[at]nrcm[dot]org).
Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards June 23, 2025 9 a.m. to noon Maine DEP will provide an overview and offer an opportunity to provide input. Register for the meeting
The Federal Clean Water Act requires that states periodically hold public hearings for the purpose of reviewing water quality standards and, as appropriate, modifying and developing standards. Maine Statute contains similar language in 38 M.R.S. 464.3.B. This process, known as the Triennial Review, requires consultation with the public and interested state and federal agencies.
Under the Triennial Review, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is preparing updates to water quality standards for the 132nd Legislature in accordance with 38 M.R.S. Section 464.3.B. For more information visit Maine DEP Triennial Review of Maine's Water Quality Standards.
Sent comments to: TRComments.DEPmaine.gov (TRComments[dot]DEP[at]maine[dot]gov) Due 5:00 PM, June 30 or to Meagan Sims,
Water Quality Standards Coordinator
ME Department of Environmental Protection
State House Station 17
Augusta, ME 04333-0017
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing June meeting will be held in Cherryfield, where Mike the Elder will be teaching the Zug Bug. PHWFF is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active and veteran military personnel through fly fishing activities, education and outings. We need an instructor to expand the program to Ellsworth. Contact Mike Manning Project Lead at mike.manningprojecthealingwaters.org (mike.manning@projecthealingwaters.org) for date and information.
June 11 Cherryfield Dam Removal Interview Ellie Mason, DSF’s Habitat Restoration Project Manager, will be on Talk of the Towns, a radio program hosted by WERU, from 4-5pm on WERU 89.9 FM, She will discuss the dam removal project.
Stream Smart Online Training June 10, 12-1 pm or June 19, 6-7 pm A lecture on the basic principles of Stream Smart. This free online webinar will give you an introduction to the concepts of Stream Smart and where to get additional information for you, your town, or your organization. Sign up >
June 13 4-6pm Lake Ecology: Summer Paddle on Fields Pond Audubon Holden Paddle the pond and learn about the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics that make up a healthy lake ecosystem. Participants will get hands-on experience with measuring lake health indicators. Meet at the Fields Pond Boat Landing with your own watercraft, or reserve a seat in theirs. (there is an extra $5 boat equipment reservation fee, call the Center to reserve). Space is limited. Register >
June 21 Family Fun Day 9am-2pm Penobscot County Conservation Association Brewer- Free Learn to tie a fly, use a fly rod or canoe the Penobscot River. PCCA provides lunch. Volunteers needed- contact Don Corey at 207-478-3173 or donald.coreygmail.com (donald[dot]corey[at]gmail[dot]com).
June 28 Penobscot Salmon Club Outdoor Gear Sale at PCCA in Brewer 2 pm followed by a meeting at 5:30 pm with a meal ($15) served by the PCCA. Fishing gear plus camping and boating stuff.
Wilderness First Aid Training June 28-29 Passadumkeag Phoebe Robinson Howe BSN, RN, and WERT will teach a 16 hour course that includes CPR, first aid, wilderness survival and evacuation. Learn more and register.
Penobscot River Trip October 18: Tickets are selling fast! Hosted by the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company this 9.5 hour trip will combine fun, photography and environmental education with stops at 10 lighthouses. Join members from the founding organizations of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust: American Rivers, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Audubon, Natural Resources Council of Maine, The Nature Conservancy, the Penobscot Nation and Trout Unlimited and learn about past and current conservation efforts on Maine’s largest river.
Naturalist Zack Klyver and Bob Trapani Jr., President of the American Lighthouse Foundation, will host the tour. Photographer Michael Leonard will be onboard along with B&H Photo to discuss your photography and demonstrate equipment. Cost is $229, but if you are an active TU member or member of one of the organizations representing the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, you can receive a 25% discount of $57.25. Contact Tammy Packie tpackiegmail.com (tpackie[at]gmail[dot]com) to confirm your TU membership status and receive the discount code. Purchase tickets on the BHWW website, go to Oct. 18 Light house tour on their calendar.
Maine Sea Grant funding restored and welcomes three students to the 2025 cohort of the Maine Sea Grant – NOAA Fisheries Undergraduate Internships in Sea-run Fish Research! They will spend the summer supporting critical research and conservation efforts focused on sea-run fish populations across Maine. Meet Olivia, Audrey, and Wade through their profiles. umseagrantmaine.edu (umseagrant[at]maine[dot]edu)
TU will continue efforts to keep public lands in public hands. Stay updated and stand for public lands, Use this link to send a message to your representative: https://www.tu.org/conservation/action-center/?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f126244%2fRespond
Our public lands are the foundation of healthy watersheds and strong communities. From remote trout streams to working forests, these places provide clean water, vital trout habitat and public access for all Americans. Efforts to privatize public land threaten us all. Thanks to our collective efforts, public lands remain so today.
THANK YOU for taking part in this year’s Annual Activity Report. TU is proud to say that in the past fiscal year, together we made a difference with:
- More than 645,051 volunteer hours committed - that's the equivalent of more than 309 full time staff and over $22 million in volunteer hour value!
- 3,741 conservation and science projects mobilizing over 20,000 volunteers
- 3,298 youth engagement events reaching more than 120,000 young people
- 4,624 community engagement activities connecting with 112,318 members and supporters
Reconnecting with Members and Supporters
Over the past few months, TU has been inviting members who opted out of certain communications in the past to get back in touch with TU. Please visit www.tu.org/recconect and enter your Member ID (found on your member card, the back address label of their TROUT magazine, or by calling 800-834-2419) to resubscribe. You will be able to choose levels of communication, such as Chapter or Council emails only.
TU offered a rod and reel combo package as part of a sweepstakes for those who verified their emails and reconnected with TU. Mr. Wayne Snelley was the lucky winner and is already headed out to use it in the northeast, pursuing brookies, browns, rainbows, and more!
Downeast Trout Unlimited Gear: Hats $25, Brook Trout pins $20, Brook Trout Earrings $16.
Downeast Trout Unlimited (DETU) is dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring Maine's cold water fisheries and their watersheds. New memberships are half price. For NEW memberships only go to www.tu.org/join305Downeast. Use the link and DETU will receive $15. Call 800-834-2419 to renew. Donations may be mailed to Downeast Trout Unlimited, c/o Arthur Benson, Treasurer; 32 Cottage Way Hampden ME 04444. For more information visit https://www.downeasttu.org/ or Downeast TU on Facebook
The Coastal Stream Survey Project is a collaborative effort that began in 2014, and seeks to recruit volunteer anglers to gather data on wild brook trout in Maine’s coastal rivers and streams. Wild brook trout may move considerable distances during the course of their lives. Some wild brook trout that live in coastal streams may spend part of their lives in both saltwater and freshwater, a life history strategy called "diadromy.” Diadromous brook trout may leave their freshwater environment for periods ranging from a few months to over a year. Typically, they migrate from fresh to salt water at an early age, probably to take advantage of the more abundant food resources in salt water estuaries and perhaps also to seek thermal refuge during certain times of the year. Learn more about the Coastal Stream Survey.
