The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is inviting public comments and suggestions about changes being considered to the recreational and commercial fishing regulations.
“This is the start of the process we use to clarify and change specific portions of our fishing regulations,” said Linda Erickson- Eastwood, DNR fisheries program manager. “We will take into account any suggestions the public may have on rules that are under consideration.”
A complete listing of the proposed changes under consideration can be found on the DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/rules/ fisheries.
Among the recreational fishing changes to be considered are eliminating the aggregate limits for brook, brown and rainbow trout in Lake Superior and Lake Superior tributary streams; amending the lake trout season to include the first full weekend of October; opening additional border waters and river systems to night bow fishing; changing yellow perch bag limits to 10 daily and 40 in possession on Minnesota-South Dakota border waters.
Among the commercial fishing changes to be considered for Lake Superior are requiring white fish to be harvested under a special permit; adding safety requirements for commercial nets being used in Lake Superior; reducing the amount of gill net that can be set for chubs (both total footage and individual license footage) and setting limitations on gear and number of licensed operators in the rainbow smelt fishery; implementing special permit conditions and additional reporting requirements for the commercial taking of lake trout, cisco and whitefish; and proposing modifications to rules that determine where commercial nets can be set in Lake Superior, especially those that are set in proximity to marinas and public access areas.
Comments may be submitted through May 29 in writing to Linda Erickson-Eastwood, Box 20, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155- 4020.
Comments will be accepted toll free at (888) MINNDNR (646-6367). Comments can be sent electronically via email to Linda.Erickson- Eastwood@dnr.state.mn.us or by visiting the DNR’s online fishing rules page at http:// mndnr.gov/input/rules/fisheries.
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