Operational Plan for the Restoration of Diadromous Fishes to the ...

agreed to undertake a formal risk assessment of potential pike movements through the
channel and into upstream sub-drainages. The measures that the State has taken or
are proposing in the Plan to control pike are feasible and prudent measures to minimize
the risk of harm. The benefits of restoring diadromous fish to the Piscataquis River
watershed, in light of the management actions currently in place and proposed to
control the risks of northern pike in the watershed, outweigh any potential negative
impacts.
Control measures have been implemented by the State of Maine and its partners
for the population of northern pike in Pushaw Lake and Mud Pond. IFW will be
sampling Pushaw Stream in June to try and determine if pike have colonized (and to
what extent) in the stream. If a large viable population is found, then we may need to
rethink our efforts at Pushaw Lake. The current information indicates that this population
has not caused economic harm or harm to human, animal or plant health nor has it
dispersed widely since its human-caused introduction. The Plan provides additional
measures to selectively control and manage this introduction.
Comment: Will there be any restrictions against stocking rainbow trout in farm ponds?
Response: IFW traditionally asks DMR for comments prior to permitting farm/private
pond stocking in the Penobscot drainage. A new written MOU is being developed that
states MIFW will permit the stocking of Rainbow and Brown trout in private ponds within
in the Penobscot River drainage, provided the pond has no outlet. An exception to this
rule is if a pond without an outlet is in close proximity to the river or a tributary and there
is potential for fish to escape during any high water event. All ponds in question are to
be inspected by MIFW or MDMR staff prior to allocation of a permit from MIFW for
species other than brook trout.
Comment: The Northern pike risk assessment under estimates the risk of pike.
Response: The risk assessment used the best available science and expertise from
state and federal agencies within Maine. The assessment represents a biological
opinion on the ecological harm that may be associated with a pike introduction, the
pathways for introduction, the potential habitat that may be impacted and the current
quality of that habitat for native species. While there is some uncertainty in the opinion
due to limited information, it provides specific steps that will limit the distribution of
natural dispersal of pike in the watershed at known barriers and proposes measures to
control illegal introductions.
Comment: Several comments suggested that Executive Order 13112 and Maine State
law prohibit the introduction of non-native species, which means the State and Federal
agencies are violating the law as the Northern Pike an illegal introduction and suggest
amending the plan to maintain consistency with established State and Federal policy.
The suggested amendments were to keep the Howland and Enfield Dams as barriers to
upstream movement of pike and other invasive species.
Response: In their June 8, 2009 comments on the draft Plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service provided their opinion on the Service’s consistency with Executive Order 13112
on Invasive Species related to the Penobscot River Restoration Project. The Service
does not believe that any of the actions it has taken are likely to cause or promote the
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