The Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited is the largest chapter in Maine and covers southern Maine from Yarmouth to the New Hampshire border.
Our Mission
Trout Unlimited’s mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Today, TU is a national organization with more than 140,000 volunteers organized into about 400 chapters from Maine to Montana to Alaska.
This dedicated grassroots group is matched by a respected staff of lawyers, policy experts and scientists, who work out of more than 30 offices nationwide. These conservation professionals ensure that TU is at the forefront of fisheries restoration work at the local, state and national levels.
The Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited is the largest chapter in Maine and covers southern Maine from Yarmouth to the New Hampshire border. In 2014, the chapter was presented the Gold Trout Award by the national organization. This award is given to the chapter with the greatest success in conservation projects that protect and restore habitat in their area.
We function as a full-fledged member of Maine’s conservation community. We pride ourselves on our ability to utilize our membership
Our Goals
CONSERVATION
The Trout Unlimited mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's cold water fisheries and their watersheds. SebagoTU has been treating this as its top priority. In addition to improving the local fisheries environment, our conservation projects involve the members directly with the work of the chapter making us a stronger organization.
We are currently striving to complete at least one habitat reconnection (culvert/dam) project every year, and reclaim two more ponds in southwestern Maine in partnership with MDIFW between now and 2020.
In 2014, the chapter was presented the Gold Trout Award by the national organization. This award is given to the chapter with the greatest success in conservation projects that protect and restore habitat in their area.
EDUCATION
Sebago TU is dedicated to helping develop the next generation of fisherman-conservationists. The chapter has supported local age-appropriate youth education opportunities as they have presented themselves. Additionally, we have supported Maine TU Trout Camp over the years both financially and with volunteer staff.
Our chapter is also dedicated to introducing women to flyfishing through casting clinics, social events, Facebook outreach, and more. This initiative has grown into a group of women now calling themselves “Maine TU Women Flyfishers.” Their hope is to get the word out that there are enthusiastic women in Maine who are passionate about flyfishing and/or who may just want to learn! It is a chance to have women network to make new women fishing friends, plan trips together to fish, and learn about fishing and conservation in a safe, non-competitive environment! Learn more and get involved.
ADVOCACY
Trout Unlimited’s mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. We cannot hope to accomplish this locally here in Maine without interacting strongly with the State and Federal infrastructures.
Permits and licenses for dams, State regulations, and many other actions are open processes where public comment is sought. Sebago TU members need to be part of that process. Over the years, we have been a strong voice and need to continue to be so when comment is sought by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Board of Environmental Protection, and various legislative committees. For many actions, public input is minimal. When we attend hearings, submit testimony, and communicate with our legislative representatives, every interaction -- e-mail, letter, written testamony -- does make a difference. If you don't know who represents you, find out at www.maine.gov/legis/house/townlist.htm
The chapter is a strong force in Maine's environmental community. We achieve this by working cooperatively with Maine Council of Trout Unlimited and other members of Maine's conservation community. These include the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), Maine Rivers, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), Maine Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Saco River Salmon Club, Friends of the Presumpscot, Presumpscot River Watch, County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and other non-government conservation organizations. We try to align our goals closely with those of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. We work closely with other government and government associated agencies as well including the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, Maine Department of Marine Resources, and Casco Bay Estuary Partnership.