Members needed for DNR advisory panels

People interested in helping the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources establish deer population goals or discussing how the state manages fish are urged to apply for citizen advisory board positions.

Volunteers are being sought to join five advisory teams that will develop deer population goals for large portions of northeastern, north-central and east-central Minnesota. Each team will focus on deer goals for a specific region, or goal-setting block, of the state.

Once selected, each team will review biological and social data as well as public input collected at meetings and through online and written questionnaires. After considering and discussing this information, each team will recommend a deer population goal for each of the permit areas within its goal-setting block.

DNR staff will review the data for each goal block as well as advisory team goal recommendations and final public comments on team recommendations before making final decisions.

This is the third year the DNR has worked with citizens to reassess and revise deer population goals in Minnesota. Goals for southwestern and a portion of northern Minnesota were set in 2012. Goals for southeastern Minnesota were set last year. Goals for the deer permit areas not part of the 2015 process will be set in 2016.

For the application or more information, go to www.mndnr.gov/deer. Deadline is Nov. 17.

For those more interested in discussing fish, volunteers are also needed to join five citizen-agency work groups that will discuss how the state manages fish. The deadline for applying is Nov. 19.

There will be individual work groups for bass, catfish, panfish and walleye, and one that will focus on both northern pike and muskellunge. Each group of 10 to 15 people will include volunteers and DNR staff who meet two to three times per year to discuss new research, population and harvest trends, and fisheries management. Volunteers may apply to one of the five groups and citizens can nominate themselves. Participants will be selected by the DNR and can serve a term of either two or three years. Meetings average four to six hours including travel time. The groups are advisory and do not make decisions on policy or fish management.

Go to www.mndnr.gov/fisheries/management/ workgroup.html for more information or an application form.