The morning of Saturday, July 15, dawned with clouds and light drizzle. But that did not deter the hundreds of volunteers who fanned out across the state on several hundred Maine lakes to count loons! Those clouds along with heavy fog did make for poor visibility in some of the more northern areas, …
Loons
WIN! Gov. Mills Signs into law a bill that will help protect loons from lead poisoning
One of Maine's most iconic wildlife species will benefit from a new law signed this week by Governor Mills that phases out the use and sale of small-sized painted lead fishing tackle. Common Loons can accidentally ingest lost or discarded lead tackle when it sinks to the bottom, causing illness and …
Join Maine Audubon’s 40th annual loon count on July 15
Early Saturday morning in mid July, on the shores of hundreds of Maine lakes, people are getting coffee and tea, studying maps, prepping their boats, dusting off binoculars, and meeting up with neighbors who they may only see this one time each year: They are getting ready for the Annual Loon …
Talking fishing lead-free with the Crappie Hippie
Our very own Laura Williams was a guest on the Fish Nerds Podcast last month, talking about lead-free fishing. The podcast host, the “Crappie Hippie,” originally scheduled her for ten minutes but they had so much fun, it turned out to be the focus of the whole show. Podcast host John King (aka …
Maine Audubon in Augusta: Mid-Session Updates from the Legislature
We have lots of updates from a busy session in the Maine Legislature! Let's dive right in after some notices on a few upcoming events: This Thursday, May 18, is Conservation Lobby Day in Augusta. Members and supporters from conservation organizations across the state will join in Augusta to …
Broad Support Demonstrated for Bill to Close Loophole in Lead Fishing Tackle Laws
On May 8, advocates gathered to testify at a public hearing before Maine State Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee in support of LD 958, a bill to update existing law to phase out the sale and use of small-sized painted lead jigs to more comprehensively address lead-caused …
Bill to Help Protect Loons from Lead Poisoning on Tap in the Legislature
For decades, lead poisoning has been one of the leading causes of loon mortality in Maine, but we're working to prevent it. Loons ingest a striking amount of fishing tackle that is either lost or left behind, or in fish that have ingested tackle. When swallowing small pebbles to aid their …
Fish Lead Free – Wow that’s a lot of lead!
March has been a busy month for our Fish Lead Free project! We have been at Sportsmans Shows around the state getting the lead out, talking about the lead tackle law, promoting the use of biodegradables, and sharing ideas about properly securing soft plastic lures. In Maine it is illegal to use …
New soft plastic lure project invites anglers to gather data
Have you ever thought about the fish you are catching—or eating? And wondered what that fish had been eating? Soft plastic fishing lures are a popular and common tackle used extensively across Maine. These lures imitate worms, frogs, and other natural baits by moving more freely through the water …