BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2025
As leaders of two statewide conservation organizations, we’ve been dismayed recently to see some pointed criticism of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s (DIFW) outreach initiatives. Breaking down barriers that have limited who partakes in Maine’s outdoor heritage is good, both ecologically and economically. DIFW has prioritized introducing more Mainers from all backgrounds to outdoor pursuits. Under the leadership of Commissioner Judy Camuso and her team, we have seen the effects of these efforts in many ways, in all corners of the state. While hunting license sales have declined nearly 10 percent nationally since 2018, they have jumped 7 percent in Maine over the same period. And while fishing license sales are stagnant nationally, they have increased over 6 percent in Maine. Maine boasts one of the nation’s highest participation rates of women in hunting and fishing. ~ Andy Beahm, Maine Audubon, and Kate Dempsey, The Nature Conservancy in Maine