The Maine Council of Trout Unlimited
The Maine Council of Trout Unlimited works with our Chapters throughout the state to protect and restore the waters and habitat of coldwater fish.
This is done with the six Maine chapters and about 2000 member-volunteers. Our projects include on-the-ground restoration projects, advocacy for the waters we love, and education. Maine is home to the nation’s last Atlantic salmon population, the last native landlocked salmon and more than 97% of the nation’s native and wild brook trout ponds.
From the removal of dams on the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers to surveys of remote beaver ponds for native brook trout that deserve protection, Maine TU volunteers are working for our waters and fish. To keep our programs flourishing and our waters healthy we need your support.
Please take a few minutes and support one or more of our ongoing programs. Click here to download a donation form and specify what you'd like your dollars to support
Brook Trout Survey Project
The Remote Pond Survey Project is a collaborative effort that began in 2011, and seeks to recruit volunteer anglers to identify previously-undocumented wild brook trout populations in remote Maine ponds. Maine brook trout are a special resource, and we need to know where they are before we can protect and manage them appropriately. The information collected by volunteer anglers, verified by biologists, will help inform future fisheries management decisions. Learn more about the Remote Pond Survey.
The Coastal Stream Survey Project is a collaborative effort that began in 2014, and seeks to recruit volunteer anglers to gather data on wild brook trout in Maine’s coastal rivers and streams. Wild brook trout may move considerable distances during the course of their lives. Some wild brook trout that live in coastal streams may spend part of their lives in both saltwater and freshwater, a life history strategy called "diadromy.” Diadromous brook trout may leave their freshwater environment for periods ranging from a few months to over a year. Typically, they migrate from fresh to salt water at an early age, probably to take advantage of the more abundant food resources in salt water estuaries and perhaps also to seek thermal refuge during certain times of the year. Learn more about the Coastal Stream Survey.
Volunteer Anglers Needed
We need your help! Thanks to the overwhelming response from anglers and the conservation community, we are pleased to announce the launch of the seventh consecutive year of the Remote Pond Survey Project. There are lots of exciting places to explore this year, and we are seeking new and returning volunteers to assist with this effort. You too can be part of this exciting conservation effort and backcountry adventure!
The success of this project is entirely dependent on the data collected by volunteer anglers, so please consider helping with the Remote Pond Survey Project. This is your chance to make a significant contribution to the conservation of native brook trout in Maine. If you love to fish for brook trout and are looking for an adventure, we need you!
This program is on hiatus at the moment. Please check back for updates.
