What are Maine's heritage fish waters?

Maine’s “Heritage Fish Waters” are designed to protect native brook trout and Arctic charr populations in lakes and ponds through state conservation law. The program includes 585 designated waters that remain relatively unknown to many anglers, and it is described as the largest wild brook trout initiative in the U.S. The effort was sparked by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and resulted in legislation safeguarding waters containing self-sustaining populations of never-stocked brook trout. It was amended in 2007 to add Arctic charr, and seven years later expanded to include lakes and ponds that had not been stocked for 25 years or more. The designation excludes rivers and streams, and it prohibits the use or possession of live fish as bait. Regulations vary from general limits to catch-and-release only, and the law aims to preserve genetic integrity for future generations.