Make no mistake about it: Invasive species are a real and growing threat to Maine's salmonid fishing heritage. With bass now in Indian Pond, Moosehead, the upper Kennebec, and most recently, the Rapid River, left unchecked it won't be long before we find ourselves with few if any waters that are not infested with some form of illegal species.

If it's not bass, it's northern pike, as we have seen in the Belgrades. While currently a problem primarily in salmonid waters, let me assure you it will not stop there. Pike, crappie or walleye in bass water are no better than bass in salmonid water.

While it seems that everyone is throwing their hands up and accepting this as an unfortunate, but inevitable situation, I don't believe that we have to or should give up without a fight. We owe the next generation more than that. While clearly it will not be easy to stop the flow of illegal stockings or for that matter reverse the impact on currently infected waters, saying that it is futile, without at least trying is simply wrong and in a sense, playing right into the hands of the perpetrators.

If we are ever going to make even a dent in this problem, we need an immediate plan of action that emphasizes "why" as opposed to "why not." This plan must include education, eradication, conservation and legislation. Without this, we have all but doomed the next generation of Maine anglers to a world of marginal sport fisheries while depriving them of Maine's fabled salmonid heritage. In many cases, bass don't do any better in trout water than trout do in bass water. Equally important is the fact that here in Maine, we are sitting on some of the last wild and native stocks of eastern brook trout, landlocked salmon, and landlocked char (i.e., blueback trout). With this comes a level of responsibility for protecting these resources for generations to come. While we have unfortunately learned that we can create bass water out of salmonid water, the opposite is not the case. Worse is that as stated before, the resulting fisheries are often marginal due to temperature, habitat, feed, etc.

While many state publicly that it is too late to do anything about it, I think we are grossly underestimating man's ability to wreak havoc. If you doubt this for a minute, take a look at the endangered and extinct species lists. Looks to me like we are pretty darn good at eradication when we want to be. Will it be easy? No way! Can it be done? We won't know until we try and from where I stand we have not. Should we try? Absolutely. At least we will be able to look in the mirror and say we gave it our best.

As for education, we need to reach out to ensure that everyone realizes the seriousness of what we are up against. This means going out to schools, sporting clubs, chambers of commerce, etc., with a well-documented position showing exactly what is at stake such as the environment,economy, and recreation. In addition, we should have signs on affected waters stating what has been done and asking anglers to help where they can, requesting that they destroy illegal species encountered within the limits of the law.

The ugliest part of the equation is eradication. While some anglers do not believe in killing any fish, and some don't believe in killing certain fish, something must be done to help control the illegal species in order to protect the native or legally stocked species. While many balk at this, it is in fact done all the time by chemical reclamation, electro-fishing, etc. As a matter of fact, our own Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife routinely reclaims ponds. Currently, the federal government is sponsoring lake trout eradication efforts in Yellowstone Park in an attempt to protect native cutthroat trout.

As for conservation, while not obvious to everyone, if a given species is threatened in a specific body of water due to an illegally stocked species, the worse thing we can do is to harvest them and in turn make room for more illegals. Unfortunately, while often the illegally introduced species has limited appeal as table fare, the resident salmonid does. As such, for each salmonid we harvest, we in turn make it that much easier for illegals to take hold and displace any remaining natives.

Legislation may be the most complicated and subjective component of all. While no one has ever been caught in the act of illegally stocking fish, using this as a reason for not increasing penalties is shortsighted. Rather than take a "why, what is too be gained?" position in regard to this, let's take a "why not, what is to be lost?" position. If doubling the fines for this type of act stops even one would-be bucket biologist, we have accomplished something. If it does not, and we will never know for sure, what have we lost?

In addition, a law that prohibits management of any illegally introduced species (Belgrade pike, for example) would be a good start. Also, a new S-99 regulation requiring the mandatory killing of any illegally introduced species would send a load and clear message. While discounted as unenforceable, while no one is suggesting that we fine anglers for refusing to kill a fish, it might help those on the fence to justify the deed. Specifically, while regulations like S-13 allow for the removal of bass in illegally stocked waters, they do not necessarily encourage anglers to destroy them.

Lastly, we need to immediately use any and all available resources to attempt to undo what these selfish individuals have done. Time is against us and the longer we wait the harder it will be to address. This would include utilizing resources from government agencies, volunteer organizations such as Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, Trout Unlimited, Maine Ice Anglers Association, schools and universities, including student biologists, and other private businesses such as Kleinschmidt and Florida Power and Light Energies.

While this is by no means an easy issue to address, failing to do so will seal our fate and forever change the face of Maine's fisheries and way of life. In addition, the introduction of a foreign species into any environment can have adverse effects on other game and non-game species, fish, fowl, animal, plant life, and overall water quality. This is not a war against any particular species, this is a war for our native salmonids and outdoor heritage.

Bob Mallard has been a fly-fisherman and fly-tyer for more than 25 years and is the owner of Kennebec River Outfitters on U.S. Route 201 in Madison. He can be reached at 474-2500 or http:// www.kennebecriveroutfitters.com