A PSA: Just to clarify all that hoopla and whine that went on over Emeralds.

[cap]

http://www.fishingnortheast.net/maine-local-fishing-news/ban-actual-emerald-shiners-wont-impact-anglers-will-help-keep-invasive-minnow-species-maine/

[Dags Bait Maine]

We didn't even try to keep emeralds on the list.
Spottail was a losing battle. It was deemed invasive. Although the biologist acknowledge that they are brackash and have spread to about the extent of their possible range in Maine.
A few of us did try to keep the blacknose shiner, bridle shiner, creek chubsucker, and longnose dace on the list. Our arguments were that they aren't being found on the bait shop surveys so the impact on the harvesting of these fish would be minimal, also their inclusions would mean that all shiners and dace found in maine would be legal bait so identification and enforcement would be made simpler. The opposing view was that they are endemic to few waters in maine and are not being used so why have them on the list.

I feel that this loss of the latter species gives up ground in the fight to keep the use of live baitfish legal, and we may see another three species go such as the longnose sucker, pearl dace, and eel, due to their perceived vulnerability and marginal use.

-Dylan

[MG39]

Here's another complicated twist in the law.
Nobody here on this site except a biologist with a microscope can distinguish the true "emerald" shiner from the  "silvery minnow", but can call the silvery minnow an emerald if you want???
How in the world can that law be enforced?
It probably boils down to the fact that there actually isn't any true emeralds here anyway.

Tks Cap for that link.

[Grumpy]

Thanks for the link Cap.

... So it's a distinction without a difference. Wow , glad to have that cleared up so there's NO confusion!