New AIS law

[Grum]

20 Inch Box Fan?

[reinhard1]

i would say the law's are made, they are made to follow, and let's get on with the upcomming year. there will be the next session, as there always is and voices can be heard at that time for changes. what get's past this time can very well get axed the next time. for me, i'm going to forget all this back and forth on this issue and i will deal with enjoying my open water season and then get excited for hard water comming up. the only sticker i'll be looking at are the price tags to purchase stuff if needed. i know what i have to do and it's not a problem. good luck.

[Slabasaurus]

Cheers to my last year of not having an "AIS" Sticker on my wading boots and fly box.

Sheeeesh.

Jokes on them. I gave up my felt boots long ago....

[Nick Kuhn]

Does anyone know the record for number of posts in/views of a single thread on this site?

Not nearly as high as the one on Gaia Online, which has 11778130 replies...

[Kyhl]

i would say the law's are made, they are made to follow, and let's get on with the upcomming year. there will be the next session, as there always is and voices can be heard at that time for changes. what get's past this time can very well get axed the next time. for me, i'm going to forget all this back and forth on this issue and i will deal with enjoying my open water season and then get excited for hard water comming up. the only sticker i'll be looking at are the price tags to purchase stuff if needed. i know what i have to do and it's not a problem. good luck.

And you are free to believe in that. And I am free to not trust the gov't and to question these laws. That is what makes this country great. It rubs me the wrong way to hear people in this thread, in this country telling me that I should just get in line and do what big brother tells me.

I partially blame myself because I skipped this years caucus not knowing that this was even a concept of power hungary bureaucrats. Be sure, I will be at the next caucus advocating the repeal of this nonsense. I suggest everyone else do the same.

Pulling a boat on a public road is not a crime nor is it a reason to detain me and search my property without consent.

[amateurfishing]

Pulling a boat on a public road is not a crime nor is it a reason to detain me and search my property without consent.

.....except if you have obvious viloation(s) that can be seen by anyone from anywhere such as dragging weeds, drain plug not pulled. im not insinuating you would do this but just stating there can be reasons to be stopped for probable cause if in plain site, just like not wearing a seat belt, expired tabs, broken light, etc. and they can still check u for other things inside.

[reinhard1]

that's exactly what i said in my post. there will be a next session and i'm glad you are particapating as i will and i do every time. nobody is telling you to get in lock step with big brother. i'm only suggesting that everyone follow the laws, that are in effect and fight the good fight next time around. good luck.

[amateurfishing]

our govt is doing the best that THEY know how at this time (we hope & suspect)...if that is not good enuff for some, your choices r to ignore it & deal with consequences, follow through with it, or stop using your boat till next year when you have an opportunity to possibly voice & make changes. till then, deal with what it is.

[Scott K]

our govt is doing the best that THEY know how at this time (we hope & suspect)...if that is not good enuff for some, your choices r to ignore it & deal with consequences, follow through with it, or stop using your boat till next year when you have an opportunity to possibly voice & make changes. till then, deal with what it is.

I will chose option C, wait, do nothing, then vent when someone stops me for no reason.

[amateurfishing]

good luck & happy fishing

way to be of positive mind

[Kyhl]

Pulling a boat on a public road is not a crime nor is it a reason to detain me and search my property without consent.

.....except if you have obvious viloation(s) that can be seen by anyone from anywhere such as dragging weeds, drain plug not pulled. im not insinuating you would do this but just stating there can be reasons to be stopped for probable cause if in plain site, just like not wearing a seat belt, expired tabs, broken light, etc. and they can still check u for other things inside.

I have no problem with this. I have a large problem with roadside checkpoints that can pull you over with no probable cause.

[Kyhl]

our govt is doing the best that THEY know how at this time (we hope & suspect)...if that is not good enuff for some, your choices r to ignore it & deal with consequences, follow through with it, or stop using your boat till next year when you have an opportunity to possibly voice & make changes. till then, deal with what it is.

We all know the saying, "the road to he ll is paved with good intentions"

I'm pretty sure there are more than three options. For starters, as I posted on page 1, and you mentioned above, inforce the current laws as they exist. There is no need for more laws or check points. Yep, it will mean more dollars are required to beef up enforcement.

I might be starting to come around on the silly sticker. Based on pricing it may have been a good bang for the buck way to raise awareness.

Whether or not it affects behavior is another thing.

I said might be.

[Grum]

I will be very curious to find out just how many people that are in or around my watercraft that notice my sticker and/or actually read it and inquire anything about it. (not counting those who have their own sticker).

And yes I will have it in plain sight, not on the inside of a lid or hidden in any way.

But it seems that they already don't trust that sticker so now they want everyone to take an online test to get a second sticker to make sure I read and understood the first sticker that was issued to us to remind us of what is printed in the regulations booklet (and online).

Not trying to be critical as I'm all for awareness and stopping the spread of AIS, but I'm starting to think they Don't trust me more than I trust them.

[snowfighter]

Just read in Grand Rapids Herald Review sports section reporter talking with fisheries director Chric Kavanaugh that the current sticker law has been revoked and there will be the online course and new sticker coming down the pike.Sure glad I aready put the revoked one on.

[Hockey Guy]

Oh, where to begin??? First of all as I stated in previous posts, it absolutely amazes me how many of you are willing to give up your constitutional rights that were paid for with blood of thousands. Our forefathers created a constitution that was drafted with the intension to give the government “Limited” powers. Now I know this is a state issue, but the MN constitution does mimic the Federal constitution in many ways and is even superseded by the Federal constitution on issues of illegal searches and travel on Federal roadways or travel across state lines. The bottom line to me is that no agency should have the POWER to pull you over without probable cause. If the State of MN wants to draft a law that we cannot travel with weeds hanging off our boats, and that law is passed due to votes by our elected representatives, then so be it. If someone is driving down the road with weeds hanging off of their boat pull them over and give them a ticket. I’m just saying that they have no right to pull me over without probable cause just because I’m pulling a boat any more than they can pull me over for having thinning blonde hair!

Now I believe that the original question of this post, 35 pages ago, was, “does anyone have any other ideas?” Well, how about this: Get the Federal and State governments out of this issue with the exception of enforcement of the law I stated above. Then instead of the $600,000,000 they are talking about to increase personnel, purchase equipment, and perform unconstitutional roadside checks, they can allow the free-market to fix this problem the same as it does for everything else. No research grants that get abused, no tax-payer subsidies, or government involvement in any way. Just the genuine free-market with a state sponsored $1,000,000 reward for anyone that comes up with a way to kill only the AIS specified. The reward money should come from the lottery, private donations, and fund-raising projects. The reward would just be the tip of the iceberg for the company that holds the patent on such technology. They would be able to sell their product to other states and even possibly modify the technology for other applications. One thing we should all know by now is that government involvement is only going to absolutely guarantee one thing; Unintended Consequences! Just like their solution years ago to pull the milfoil out. They pulled the milfoil out alright, along with all the other vegetation that was keeping the milfoil in check. What grew back in its place???

[reinhard1]

ya, i mentioned that a page or two back that this may happen. it all had to do with the Governor signing the bill today. so for those who do not like the stickers, dont have to put that on. i will save my stickers anyway in case the same one's already made apply in 2015, which i doubt.

this is my complaint about how government works at times. i had no problem with the stickers because i thought that was part of the deal this year. so now they have ordered and have in possession around 400,000 stickers. of course they canceled the rest. this tells me that they have wasted around $64,000 from producing these stickers. all i can say is ect.

if they were to use the same [which would make sense in the real world] i would not have a problem with the stickers. however now comes the problem i have. we DONT need no "blank" classes. on line, in line, in room, or anywhere else. that is WASTE big time and i will fight it in sessions to come until that magic momment in 2015.

i was willing to put up with the status quo, because i thought that was going to be the law, but i knew not the end of stuffed shirts wasting further dollars. i want our waters clean for our kids and future generations. with the exception of further study on AIS to better control or eliminate invasive species, nothing needs to be done as far as classes, stickers, road side stops [unless law enforcement sees a violation].

sure the online classes are probably simple ect. bla bla bla. NOT NEEDED. we have enough signs at boat landings to build tanks for the military, information everywhere and more. it's time to tell our leglislators enough is enough. fine the violators, do the inspections at the landings, but other than that, leave us alone. good luck.

[Long Gray Line]

Was talking to a couple of guys at the NW Sportshow about the new reg. They said there is a chemical that's been shown effective against Zmussels, but the FDA hasn't ok'd it for use where pets could be, like lakes I guess. If what they were saying is true, why wouldn't somebody like MN, WI, etc be trying to get that testing fast tracked and if it's ok, get it in use? DuPont says they have a chemical called chlorine dioxide that controls/kills the little buggers. Several articles talk about concentrations of chlorine no more than what's used to treat drinking water systems are effective. Let's go FDA, get a move on!

[Scott K]

Was talking to a couple of guys at the NW Sportshow about the new reg. They said there is a chemical that's been shown effective against Zmussels, but the FDA hasn't ok'd it for use where pets could be, like lakes I guess. If what they were saying is true, why wouldn't somebody like MN, WI, etc be trying to get that testing fast tracked and if it's ok, get it in use? DuPont says they have a chemical called chlorine dioxide that controls/kills the little buggers. Several articles talk about concentrations of chlorine no more than what's used to treat drinking water systems are effective. Let's go FDA, get a move on!

and you kill off all the fish. Isnt that kinda why we go to the lakes? I just dont think these feared creatures, are going to be as destructive as the media makes it out to be.

[harvey lee]

For those who say, I need to do something about this as I do not care for the current law, good for you as there is only one way to change what the current law now reads.

Not willing to bother with trying, I guess put your sticker on and then just forget about it and go fishing and have fun.

20" box fan thread all over again.

[motley man]

If we can't protect our borders, how will we protect our lakes & streams?

[Grum]

If we can't protect our borders, how will we protect our lakes & streams?

+1, you make a good point.

I can see this online test and sticker thing going the way of the vehicle emission test stations, remember those? huge waste of cash spent on those too, only to have some smart lawyer deem them to be unconstitutional due to the fact that they discriminated against the poor who cannot afford a new vehicle. Now these test will discriminate against those who cannot afford a computer and internet connection.

I hope they don't forget to make these stickers and test multilingual so someone isn't profiled and sues the state. Just another field day for some civil rights lawyer at the taxpayers expense.

I think these politicians want to take credit for reinventing a better mouse trap and appear to be doing us all a big favor so we forget they were the ones who cost the taxpayers millions in the state shutdown last year. They must be getting nervous about next election day.

[James_R]

Perhaps if many of our state laws weren't so wasteful, ineffective and intrusive individuals or groups wouldn't need to contest them in court. The public wouldn't feel fleeced, harassed and would willingly comply on their own.

[DTro]

DNR NEWS RELEASE FOR MAY 4, 2012

Aquatic invasive species decal law changes; higher penalties go into effect July 1

A slate of new laws designed to curb the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) was approved in a recent bill passed by the Minnesota Legislature and signed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

A program requiring watercraft owners to place an AIS rules sticker on their boats is being discontinued and replaced with an online education program. Watercraft owners will no longer be required to place on their boats the rectangular, silver and black decals, which include a summary of the state's AIS laws.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) began distributing the decals earlier this year and will continue to give them to interested boat owners for informational purposes only.

A new law, which goes into effect 2015, will require anyone who transports watercraft or water-related equipment with a trailer to complete an online education course. After completing the course, the person will receive a decal that must be placed on their trailer, certifying they have taken the course. People taking the course can receive extra stickers if they own or use multiple trailers for watercraft or water-related equipment.

"The black and silver decal is no longer mandatory for boaters, but it is still a good informational tool to help boaters know the AIS laws," said Luke Skinner, aquatic invasive species program supervisor. Boaters who have decals can still place them on their boats or trailers as a reminder.

He said the DNR will begin developing the online AIS course soon to implement the new decal requirement for 2015. The penalty for not displaying the decal will be a warning, not a citation.

Other new AIS laws will be instituted July 1, 2012, as a result of the new legislation:

Civil penalties for violating the state's AIS laws will double. Fines that currently range from $50 to $250 will increase to $100 to $500, depending on the type of violation. For example, failure to remove a drain plug while transporting a watercraft will mean a $100 fine, instead of a $50 penalty. The fine for unlawfully possessing and transporting prohibited aquatic invasive species will increase from $250 to $500. Boat lifts, docks, swim rafts and other water-related equipment (except boats and other watercraft) that are removed from any water body may not be placed in another water body for at least 21 days. The drying out period is designed to kill any AIS that might be attached to the equipment that are high risk and difficult to clean. Two zebra mussel introductions occurred last year as a result of water equipment being sold and moved from one water body to another. Boat clubs, yacht clubs, marinas and other similar organizations are now considered lake-service providers, requiring permits for the clubs and staff working there to take AIS certification training. Portable bait containers used while fishing through the ice do not need to be drained before leaving a water body, unless the water body has been declared to have viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a virus that is deadly to fish.

The DNR was given additional authority to require mandatory inspections of water-related equipment before a person places or removes equipment into or out of a water body and to set up inspection stations at a centralized location to cover multiple lakes. The new legislation also allows the DNR to delegate this authority to local governments that have an approved inspection plan

[Lund79]

You beat me to posting this DNR news release DTro.

[IcePro]

So....

If I pass the on-line test and receive my decal and place it on my my boat I am good to go.

Now here is the what if scenarios.

You borrow your boat to another person, do they have to pass the on-line test. My boat already as the decal.

Since you can receive more than one decal whats stops someone from putting them a buddies boat that did not pass?

What made this person educated on the AIS laws.

Am I liable if he is stopped and he has weeds on the boat or the plug is still in. Can he claim I never educated him.