Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Judy Camuso
February 14, 2023
Maine's Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner to serve on North American council
Judy Camuso, commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, has been appointed to the North American Wetlands Conservation council, the first person from Maine in that role.
Camuso was recently named vice chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. She serves as chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife North American Bird Conservation Initiative, vice chair of the National Conservation Leadership Institute, and vice president of the North East Association of Fish and Wildlife agencies.
In 2019, she was appointed commissioner by Gov. Janet Mills, and is the first woman to lead the department. As commissioner, she oversees a budget of $12 million and oversees the development and implementation of policy decisions, legislative proposals and rules related to the wildlife division.
Since then, Camuso has overseen growth in hunting and fishing, increased communication between the department and the public, and has prioritized reducing barriers to getting more people outside.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Council protects, restores, and enhances wetland habitats for birds and other species.
In the past five years, Maine has received $15.5 million from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which was matched by another $59 million.
Since 2018, this program has protected 137,123 acres in Maine, including large parcels of land along the Kennebec and Narraguagus Rivers and significant coastal wetlands in central and Downeast Maine.
“It is an honor to be named to the council and to have the opportunity to help other states and provinces protect and enhance such an invaluable resource and broad array of species,” said Camuso. “The work of this council and the funding they provide is even more important as we confront changes associated with climate change.”
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