“I think at this point we are all on the brink of what kind of derby will actually be played this year.”
Maine, USA — Rising temperatures are disrupting winter activities that many Maine residents normally enjoy throughout the season.
Many activities, such as ice fishing, have been put on hold across the state because the ice in many lakes and ponds is not thick enough.
“Thick enough today may not be thick enough tomorrow,” said Rick Wellett, a hunting supervisor in Maine.
Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DACF) has canceled ice fishing, skiing and snowshoeing events scheduled for later this month at Lake St. George State Park due to unsafe ice conditions and lack of snow.
DACF spokesperson Jim Britt said: “Large events can have hundreds of people on the ice at times, and they need thick ice to play safely.
Scott Davis, who has been ice fishing for over 40 years, was out on the ice only once this year due to dangerous ice conditions.
“Some of these lakes are still open,” Davis said. “I remember ice fishing the first week of December and getting a lot of ice by January.”
Davis, who coordinated the ice fishing derby himself, said it was unclear if the event could be held in January.
“I think at this point we’re all on the brink of what the Derby will actually be like this year,” Davis said.
Only time will tell if more winter events are canceled during January.
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