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Meeting Minutes
Attending:
Judy Camuso, Commissioner
Timothy Peabody, Deputy Commissioner
Nate Webb, Wildlife Division Director
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
Dan Scott, Game Warden Colonel
Cody Lounder, Game Warden
Cindy Rego, Warden Service Admin
Becky Orff, Secretary/Recorder
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Kristin Peet (Chair) - via Teams
Shelby Rousseau (vice-Chair) via Teams
Eric Ward
Al Cowperthwaite
Roger (Rod) Grant
Bob Duchesne via Teams
Ed Pineau via Teams
Tony Liguori via Teams
Vacant Washington County seat
GUESTS
8 additional staff and public members
I. Call to Order
Commissioner Camuso 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. Cowperthwaite 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
1. Furbearer rules Ch. 16 & 17
Mr. Webb stated previously, we had hunting and trapping information for furbearers combined in one rule (Chapter 4), and later separated those into two chapters 16 & 17. Afterwards, we realized some of the information wasn't carried over to the trapping chapter. The proposal was an effort to correct some of those errors and move the information on the possession, transportation and registration of furbearers from chapter 16, which is the hunting chapter, to chapter 17. The rule also clarifies the tagging requirements for coyotes. A public hearing was held on August 29th and there were no members of the public that attended. We did not receive any written comments on the proposal.
There were no further questions or comments.
A motion was made by Mr. Ward to accept the proposals as presented and that was seconded by Mr. Cowperthwaite.
Vote: Unanimous in favor motion passed
B. Step 2
There were no items under Step 2.
C. Step 1
1. Species of Special Concern
Mr. Webb stated the proposal was an update to our species of special concern list, which is a list that went through rulemaking a couple of years ago. Most of the proposal was a housekeeping exercise to remove species from the special concern list that were added to the state endangered and threatened species list in 2023 that was in law. There were also taxonomic name updates that we wanted to make to keep them current, and three species being added to the list.
Mr. Fish gave a PowerPoint presentation to the group. For a copy of the presentation please contact becky.orff@maine.gov
Mr. Fish stated there were over 15,000 species in fb88, the vast majority of those were invertebrates. People were more familiar with the birds, amphibians, mammals, etc. and they tended to get more attention. We had 57 species listed under fb88s endangered species act in statute. There were 112 species of special concern listed currently. This was our "watch list" for those species that might make it to the endangered and threatened species list, or species we were focusing more attention on trying to get conservation status assessments because they were in decline or might be rare in fb88. We also had species of greatest conservation need and there were 378 species on that list for fb88 that was last updated in 2015. That list was found in the State Wildlife Action Plan. We were currently in the process of revising fb88s Wildlife Action Plan so the number was likely to change by the end of 2025.
Mr. Fish went over the changes outlined in the proposal.
Council Member Comments and Questions
Mr. Ligouri asked how the data was gathered on each species to determine decline, etc.
Mr. DeMaynadier stated the numbers were rounded. With insects, the proxy for decline was usually loss of presence within a historical range, not numbers per say. We had partners in the University of fb88 Farmington, Colby College and a biologist from New Brunswick that were helping to guide the citizen science atlas effort. We would also draw on previously trained entomologists who helped with the flower fly effort. They were pretty identifiable species because they were so colorful. He suspected we would get a lot of recruitment, and it would be successful.
Mr. Ligouri asked if we were finding that the European, whatever forms they were, causing species to decline were they filling the gap and pollinating?
Mr. DeMaynadier stated he was not sure. Honey came from the European honeybee. It was quite possible that another species in the same taxa was playing an important role and serving support for some functions. With bumblebees the decline was a result of diseases that had been introduced via the European honeybee and some other introduced bees. It was a mixed blessing whether those introductions could fill ecosystem gaps or were creating declines in a whole diversity of species that were doing just fine before they arrived.
There were no further questions or comments.
2. Upland Game Season
Mr. Webb stated the proposal related to the start date of the hunting season for upland game. The issue went back to 2019 when the legislature amended the start date of the hunting season for upland game species to start on the last Saturday in September. Previously, the season started on October 1st. There was an interest at that time to start the season a few days earlier prior to the end of the general fishing season to allow a cast and blast weekend so people could hunt upland game on Saturday and fish on Sunday. That was in place for several years and in 2023 there was a bill introduced in the legislature that requested some changes to the timing of the moose hunting seasons. The outcome of that bill, the legislature directed the Department to establish a stakeholder group to discuss conflicts related to moose hunting seasons, timing, different activities on the landscape, etc. The group met throughout 2023 and developed a report with several recommendations.
The stakeholder group made several recommendations which the Department was in the process of implementing. One of those was to develop an education course specifically for moose hunters. Another recommendation was to survey hunters, landowners, residents, businesses, etc. to understand the level of conflict during moose hunting seasons and their perception on any potential changes to moose hunting seasons. They also recommended we use the survey results to assess whether any additional rulemaking may be required to help better distribute moose hunters and other recreational users on the landscape and reduce conflicts. The stakeholder group also recommended we move forward in the short term with modifying the September grouse hunting season that would maintain the opportunity for the cast and blast weekend, the open last Saturday in September but then not continue the season until October 1st in an effort to reduce conflict between bird hunters and moose hunters.
The report was brought back to the legislature, and they passed Public Law 530 which amended the language around the start date of the upland game season to simply state that the season must include the last Saturday in September, but did not have to start on that date and then carry forward until the end. The understanding was that we would move the stakeholder groups recommendation forward to rulemaking to the Advisory Council to modify the upland game season accordingly such that there would be a 1-day season on the last Saturday in September and then the season would not continue until October 1st. Depending on the calendar and the year it could mean that the season would pick up again on Monday, or it could mean there was close to a week gap before the season reopened. The exception to the seasons would be for woodcock which was set in the migratory bird season proposal.
Council Member Questions and Comments
Commissioner Camuso stated thinking about the survey that was completed and if one of the recommendations was to move the second moose season so it didnt have to coincide with Indigenous Peoples Day, would it continue to conflict with a moose week if there was a recommendation to change that week.
Mr. Webb stated the conflict was with the first bull season (September). The overlap varied because both that season and the start of the upland game season were calendar based. It was a social issue, there was very little biological nexus to the dates. It was clear from the survey there were a lot of different opinions. The general public did not feel like there was a major issue, it was a small percentage that felt like there was conflict. There were some districts and parts of the state where the feeling that there were some conflict was higher than others.
Mr. Cordes stated they were still finalizing the report with Responsive Management. The majority of the conflicts had been identified and reported between guides, guides having problems with other guides.
Commissioner Camuso stated one of the things the Department had gotten better at was working with human dimensions specialists and using that science to help the Department better understand public opinions.
Mr. Duchesne asked about how the seasons were changing and whether the problem was going to get worse. It was getting harder to get wood out in the winter and the roads were thawing too fast. He was wondering if there was going to be more pressure in the harvest season in the fall and overlap with the hunting seasons.
Commissioner Camuso stated the Department also had concerns about access issues. There were areas where hunters used to have access but now there were bridges out and obstructions that the roads were not being maintained the same way they had been in the past.
Mr. Cowperthwaite stated some larger landowners were going into conservation carbon credits where they were paid not to cut wood. Subsequently, if they were not cutting wood they were not fixing roads.
Mrs. Rousseau stated there was a lot of concern about lack of access, when lack of access was due to weather patterns that we couldnt keep up with the maintenance and management to provide opportunities to people. There was also concern with taking the moose out of the woods and getting them to the butcher on time because the weather was warmer.
Commissioner Camuso stated getting the moose to a butcher in time was an issue that could be addressed if people would modify their behavior and quarter the moose in the woods.
Mrs. Peet stated there was a group of land trusts and conservation organizations called the fb88 Mountain Collaborative that met several times a year. A couple of years ago, Sarah Boyden and Kris MacCabe met with the group to talk about road access and hunting access issues. It may be a good time for someone from the Department attend one of their meetings again. It was all groups that worked with large landowners.
Mr. Webb stated the current statute that was recently changed did not require that we change the season, it provided the option for the season to be changed. The Department committed to taking the proposal forward through rulemaking, but if it did not pass the rule would not be out of compliance with the law.
Mr. Grant stated he felt fb88 hunters and outdoor people took fb88 access for granted compared to every other state in the country. Unless it was state or federal land somewhere else you didnt access it unless you had a written permission slip.
There were no further questions or comments.
VI. Other Business
Commissioner Camuso discussed upcoming budget initiatives. We would be requesting a $6.50 fishing license fee increase. The license fee had not increased since 2010. License sales appeared flat and federal funds (Pittman Robertson) were not increasing. She discussed position reclassifications and the new IFW headquarters was moving forward with the construction bid going out in the spring. The hope was to have the building completed by 2027.
Mrs. Latti discussed the hatchery projects for New Gloucester and Grand Lake Stream. They were breaking ground on the New Gloucester hatchery, and they had received one bid for Grand Lake Stream.
Mr. Webb discussed the recent PFAS advisory for the consumption of deer and turkey in the Fairfield, Unity areas.
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 next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 9:30am at IFW, Augusta.
X. Adjournment
A motion was made by Mr. Ward and that was seconded by Mr. Cowperthwaite to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.