AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging anglers to take largemouth bass of all sizes from certain Down East waters starting Sunday.

Under a new law enacted by the Legislature, the commissioner of DIF&W has the ability to authorize licensed anglers to assist in the taking of illegally introduced invasive species in an effort to protect the resource.

Department biologist have positively identified fish caught in Grand Falls Flowage as largemouth bass, indicating the illegal introduction of the species to the area and prompting the effort to eliminate them before they can gain a foothold in the flowage and endanger the smallmouth bass population already there.

The waters in the St. Croix River drainage that are included in the effort are: Grand Falls Flowage (including Tomah Stream, Berry Brook and George Brook Flowage); Lewy Lake (including Huntley Brook); Long Lake; Big Lake (including Grand Lake Stream, Musquash Stream, Little Musquash Stream, Clifford Stream and Little River); St. Croix River from Vanceboro Dam down to tidewater in St. Stephen/Calais (including Woodland Flowage).