For Immediate Release
August 9, 2005

Obrey Named Regional Biologist for Moosehead Region

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Tim Obrey of Sangerville, a Department of Inland 
Fisheries
and Wildlife Fisheries Research Biologist in Bangor, was named the 
regional
fisheries biologist for the Moosehead region earlier this summer. Obrey
fills the position vacated by Paul Johnson, who retired earlier this 
year.

"Tim brings experience to the position, due to his years as an 
assistant
regional biologist in the Moosehead area, as well as an expertise in
research that will be invaluable in his new position," said Director of
Fisheries Program Development Peter Bourque. 

As the Regional Fisheries Biologist, Obrey must develop and implement
fishery management plans for the region's fishery resources. Obrey will 
also
oversee the development and evaluation of fish stocking programs,
development and evaluation of regulations, habitat evaluations, 
population
monitoring programs and population enhancement programs.

The Moosehead Lake Region includes nearly 4,400 square miles of West 
Central
Maine.  More than 300 miles of main stem rivers and 3,800 miles of 
their
smaller tributaries flow through the Region.  These comprise the 
headwaters
of the Kennebec, the Penobscot, and the St. John rivers.   During the 
last
glacial period more than 1,200 lakes and ponds were carved into the 
Region's
landscape.  They vary in size from one-acre unnamed ponds to Moosehead 
Lake,
at 74,890 acres Maine's largest and one of Maine's most famous inland
waters.  The total area of all standing surface water in the Region is
nearly 237,000 acres - 24% of the total area of all lakes and ponds in 
the
State.  

Obrey started with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as a
Conservation Aide/Summer Winter Assistant in 1983. In 1988, he was 
promoted
to the position of Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, a position 
he
held until 2001, when he became one of the department's fisheries 
research
biologist, where he oversaw the department's hydroacoustics program, 
brook
trout strain evaluation, lake habitat assessments, manager/coordinator 
of
IFW's statewide lake and pond database.