Every year the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reviews its management plans for a few area lakes and streams. Interested citizens have until Dec. 31 to comment on management of these waters.
Citizens interested in learning about or commenting on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) strategies for managing Grand Marais area lakes and streams have until Dec. 31 to ask questions or submit comments.
“Management plans describe past, present and desired future conditions of the waters,” said Steve Persons, Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor. “They identify specific management activities planned for that lake or stream in the next five to 20 years.”
Every year, DNR fisheries staff prepare or revise individual lake and stream management plans for several waters in each management area. In the Grand Marais area, plans for the following lakes and streams will be reviewed.
Current plans for lakes and streams in the area as well as recent fish population assessment information are available for review at the DNR’s Grand Marais area fisheries office, 1356 E. Highway 61, Grand Marais, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call or e-mail Persons at 218- 387-3056 or steve.persons@ state.mn.us.
Public comments on management of these waters are due by Dec. 31. Comments and suggestions on other streams and lakes in the area, which are welcomed at any time, will be considered when those plans are due for review.
Lakes
Agnes – the lake was once one of the few black crappie lakes in the area; will determine whether re-establishing black crappie is feasible.
Binagami – managed for walleye and bluegill; will review current management.
Chester – managed for brown trout; will consider possible changes in number stocked or frequency of stocking.
Clara – managed for walleye; will review current management.
Deer Yard – managed for walleye; will review current management.
Dislocation – will review management now that a natural brook trout population seems to have become established.
Elbow – managed for bluegill, walleye and northern pike; will determine whether there is a need to resume walleye or bluegill stocking.
Jock Mock – preparing an initial plan, based on new survey data.
Merganser – preparing an initial plan based on new survey data.
Surber – managed for brook trout; will review stocking success and consider changes in stocking number or frequency.
Unnamed (near Tom Lake) – managed for brook trout; considering possible changes in stocking numbers or frequency.
Vale – managed for brook trout; will consider changes to number stocked or frequency of stocking.
Ward – managed for northern pike; will review current management.
Weasel (Sled) – managed for rainbow trout; considering a change in species, or changes in stocking numbers or frequency.
Streams
Beaverdam Creek – a designated trout stream with marginal habitat; the plan will focus on habitat protection and monitoring.
Carlson Creek – a designated trout stream supporting steelhead; the plan will focus on habitat protection and monitoring.
Fry Creek – a designated trout stream supporting a resident brook trout population; the plan will focus on habitat protection and monitoring.
Kadunce Creek – a designated trout stream supporting steelhead and a resident brook trout population; the plan will focus on habitat protection, improvement, and monitoring.
Kimball Creek – a designated trout stream supporting steelhead and a resident brook trout population; the plan will focus on habitat protection, improvement, and monitoring.
Temperance River – a designated trout stream supporting steelhead and a resident brook trout population; the plan will focus on habitat protection and monitoring.
Woods Creek – a designated trout stream with marginal habitat; the plan will focus on potential for restoration.
. In addition to these lakes, there are several lakes, mostly in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, for which plans are being revised solely to update survey and assessment scheduling. Those include Brandt, Bulge, Burnt, Copper, Deer, Devil’s Elbow, Dogtrot, Fleck, Gneiss, Jim, Little Jim, Juno, Long, Maraboeuf, Moon, Moose, Mulligan, Silver, Slip, Stump, Swan and Vernon lakes.
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