DENMARK – About half a dozen people attended a hearing Wednesday night on whether a boat motor horsepower limit should be put on Beaver Pond.

Selectmen’s Chairman Ralph Sarty Jr. said Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife attended the meeting, which lasted about 25 minutes. Sarty said a petition with about 50 signatures seeks to prohibit motors of more than seven horsepower.

“There was no one present who objected to the reduction in horsepower,” said Sarty.

Sarty said the pond encompasses about 85 acres. The proposed limit on motors is a response to the use of the pond by bass boats 17- to 20-feet long.

Sarty said there have not been any problems with larger boats, but internal combustion engines for their size are typically 115-150 horsepower.

Sarty said the limit would allow for the use of electric motors, which bass fishermen usually have.

“If you compared them to a gas engine, I don’t think they’d be much more than a three or four horsepower,” he said.

Sarty said the Maine Legislature authorized the commissioner of the Maine DIFW to establish rules that are legally binding on the state’s water bodies.

He said Martin will respond in writing to the limit request within a few weeks.

According to DIFW’s boating rules for 2008, motorboats are prohibited from two ponds in Denmark and restricted to six horsepower or less on four others.

Sarty said the restrictions on those ponds were made several years ago, and the commissioner usually does not make restrictions of less than 10 horsepower.

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