| | | The Legislature finds that various species of fish or wildlife | | have been and are in danger of being rendered extinct within the | | State of Maine, and that these species are of esthetic, | | ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific | | value to the people of the State. The Legislature, therefore, | | declares that it is the policy of the State to conserve, by | | according such protection as is necessary to maintain and enhance | | their numbers, all species of fish or wildlife found in the | | State, as well as the ecosystems upon which they depend. |
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| | | §12802. Commissioner's authority, investigations and programs |
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| | | 1.__Investigations. The commissioner may conduct | | investigations in order to develop information relating to | | population size, distribution, habitat needs, limiting factors | | and other biological and ecological data relating to the status | | and requirements for survival of any resident species of fish or | | wildlife, whether endangered or not. |
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| | | 2.__Programs. The commissioner may develop programs to enhance | | or maintain the populations described in subsection 1. |
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| | | §12803.__Designation of endangered species |
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| | | 1.__Standards. The commissioner shall recommend a species to | | be listed as endangered or threatened whenever the commissioner | | finds one of the following to exist: |
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| | | A.__The present or threatened destruction, modification or | | curtailment of its habitat or range; |
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| | | B.__Overutilization for commercial, sporting, scientific, | | educational or other purposes; |
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| | | C.__Disease or predation; |
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| | | D.__Inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or |
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| | | E.__Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued | | existence within the State. |
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| | | 2.__Commissioner's duties. In recommending a species to be | | listed as endangered or threatened, the commissioner shall: |
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| | | A.__Make use of the best scientific, commercial and other | | data available; |
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| | | B.__Consult, as appropriate, with federal agencies, other | | interested state agencies, other states having a common |
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