Maine game wardens are citing three people for illegally catching dozens of landlocked salmon in a western Maine river during the fall spawning season.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says the people were using the prohibited method known as “snagging” to catch large numbers of salmon.
Snagging involves intentionally hooking a fish in parts of the body other than the mouth.
The department says the three suspects were charged with numerous violations, and each paid a $1,225 fine, and could have their fishing licenses revoked.
The 11 charges included fishing by snagging, closed season fishing, exceeding the bag limit for landlocked salmon, fishing without a license, and fishing with artificial lures in a fly fishing only water.
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife points out the illegal activity occurred during the low water conditions at the end of summer, which combined with the fall migration of salmon, made large populations of spawning age landlocked salmon in the river especially vulnerable to “snagging.”
The department says snagging can cause a great deal of damage to the fish, including piercing of internal organs, from which few fish survive.
The activity also violated fly fishing only restrictions in the river, which has special regulations in place to protect sensitive spawning habitat.
