A.20. SUMMARY OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT IN MAINE 
A.20.1. AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN 
Maine’s Action Plan for Managing Invasive Aquatic Species: A Report to the Land and 
Water Resources Council from the Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants and 
Nuisance Species was published in October 2002 (see Appendix B, State Aquatic Invasive 
Species Management Plan Summaries for a general description of the Plan). 
A.20.2. AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES 
• Invasive Aquatic Plant Prevention Program, Maine Department of Environmental 
Protection (ME DEP). This program inspects watercraft, trailers, and outboard motors 
at or near the state borders and at boat launching sites for the presence of invasive aquatic 
plants. The program also provides educational materials to the public and to watercraft 
owners on invasive aquatic plants and funds control work by some private lake 
associations. The Program is also conducting plant control work on three small lakes 
(one with populations of Eurasian watermilfoil, one with hydrilla, and one with curlyleaf 
pondweed) to try to prevent the spread of these plants to other water bodies. Finally, the 
agency is also undertaking plant removal on lakes with variable milfoil located close to 
boat ramps in order to reduce spread. 
• Invasive Aquatic Plant Prevention Program, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife (MDIFW). MDIFW has a warden service to patrol waters and roads and 
enforce violations like launching a boat or transporting a vehicle on public roads with 
plants attached. 
• Lake and River Protection Sticker, ME DEP, MDIFW. As of 2002, all motorized 
watercraft on inland waters in Maine are required to display the Lake and River 
Protection Sticker (“Preserve Maine Waters”). No sticker is required for operating a boat 
in tidal waters. Motorized watercraft includes any boat with any type of motor, including 
canoes with electric motors and personal watercraft. Dedicated funds raised through this 
program are used to support Maine’s prevention and early detection and rapid response 
efforts. Maine raises approximately $1 million a year through this program. 
• Courtesy Boat Inspection Program, ME DEP. The program involves voluntary boat 
inspections that emphasize boat ramp inspection. Last year, there were 30,000 
inspections (10,000 more than in 2003). 
• Early Detection, Invasive Plant Patrol Program, ME DEP. ME DEP contracts with 
the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, which, through the Maine Center for Invasive 
Aquatic Plants (MCIAP), conducts training programs for volunteers, state agency 
personnel, professionals, teachers, students, and others. Since the program began in 
2001, nearly 1,400 individuals have been trained. The basic workshop teaches 
participants how to recognize the invasive plants on Maine's “eleven most unwanted” list 
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