"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.