Comments sought on rule limiting special northern pike regulations

[Scott M]

Comments sought on rule limiting special northern pike regulations

MN DNR

(Released October 4, 2012)

Comments on rules governing regulations for northern pike and other fishing regulation matters will be accepted until Thursday, Nov. 15, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced.

The proposed rule change makes existing northern pike bag limits and catch-and-release lengths a permanent part of Minnesota’s inland fishing regulations.

Other changes include:

Clearly defining electronic fish-finding devices as depth finders; fish finders; underwater video or still cameras; sonars; global positioning systems; and temperature, oxygen and pH meters;

Making rules regarding liberalized fish and seasonal closures consistent on Minnesota-South Dakota border waters;

Enacting provisions that protect vulnerable fish populations in Otter Tail County’s Annie Battle and Mille Lac County’s Black Bass lakes from overharvest; and

Enacting changes that are technical in nature to clarify and improve the consistency of regulations.

Comments should be directed to Linda Erickson-Eastwood via postal mail at 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4020; email at [email protected]; or by phone at 651-259-5200.

Complete details are available on the DNR HSOforum.

Northern Pike and other fishing regulations

Permanent rule package

Fish Rules

Relating to rules governing northern pike and other fishing regulation matters. Taking comments until Nov 15, 2012 at 4:30 pm

Rulemaking documents:

Dual Notice of Intent to Adopt Proposed Rules This is a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it.

Rule language This is a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it.

Statement of Need and Reasonableness This is a PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it.

Agency contact person

Linda Erickson-Eastwood

Department of Natural Resources

500 Lafayette Road, Box 20

St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4020

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: (651) 259-5206 or 1-888-MINNDNR

TTY: (651) 296-5484 or (800) 652-3929

This rule package began as a directive from the legislature to limit length based regulations for northern pike that were adopted as special or experimental regulations (Minnesota Rules Chapter 6264). The proposed set of rules for northern pike move the catch-and –release and reduced bag limit regulations into the inland regulations section (Minnesota Rules Chapter 6262). These regulations are important components to maintaining the fish communities on these unique northern pike fisheries. These regulations were moved earlier through an emergency process and this rule making will make it permanent.

Other changes being proposed for adoption include:

Making the definition of electronic devices consistent

Dropping regulations that are no longer necessary because they have not shown to assist in the management of the fishery

Make Minnesota – South Dakota border water rules regarding liberalized fishing and seasonal closures consistent

Technical change that combines regulations for waterbodies all under one subpart so that it is easier to know what the rules are for that waterbody

[Jim Uran]

Nothing about panfish though lol!! One of these years