BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 14, 2022
Green Lake in Hancock County is one of only 12 native Arctic charr waters remaining in the contiguous United States, all of which are in Maine. It is also one of just four native landlocked salmon waters in Maine, and the only water in the country where these two rare species occurred naturally. Green Lake is a native rainbow smelt water as well, one of only two waters where Arctic charr and smelt coevolved. The idea that three exceedingly rare coldwater fish coevolved in the watershed makes Green Lake a natural resource of state, regional and national significance. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is stocking nonnative lake trout over native landlocked salmon and Arctic charr in Green Lake as we speak. At minimum, the State should suspend the nonnative lake trout stocking that is putting these rare fish at risk. ~ Bob Mallard