Fish limits looked at

Penny Mio,

Area business owners and residents had the opportunity to speak up Tuesday on proposed walleye and sauger regulations for the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods.
The Department of Natural Resources hosted the public forum intended to get input on reducing the walleye harvest by 25 percent and sauger harvest by 16 percent. The meeting drew about 65 people to the Lake of the Woods School.
“We want to maintain a world-class fishery,” said Mike Larson, Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor in Baudette. “That is why people come up here.”
The proposal was initiated by some resort owners in the Lake of the Woods area, who have been working with the DNR, area business owners and anglers to develop a plan before one is mandated by the Legislature, Larson explained.
Several ways to reduce harvest have been studied, he said. Those options included a shorter season to match the inland fisheries, release of fish 17 inches or larger, reduction of bag limits, a harvest slot between 16 and 20 inches and protected slots.
But Larson said any one of the options alone did not provide enough savings or did not have support from the resort community.
The DNR has targeted an annual walleye harvest of 450,000 pounds and 250,000 pounds for sauger. The average annual walleye harvest from 1999 to 2003 was 632,976 pounds while the sauger harvest was 282,994 pounds, Larson noted.
The proposal brought questions about how similar limits have affected resorts and fisheries on other lakes in Minnesota. DNR studies show that resorts have not lost business because people realize that protecting the fishery is better for everyone in the long run, said Larson.
When the spring bag limit of two fish was implemented on the Rainy River, there was no loss of angler hours, Larson said, adding that fishing pressure continues to rise throughout the year.
Kevin Peterson, DNR area fisheries supervisor in International Falls, explained that the resort owners on Rainy Lake had many of the same fears and predictions about the resort business when the 17 inch-plus protected slot limit was introduced around the same time Canada restricted American’s abilities to fish Canadian waters of the lake.
“It didn’t come true,” he said of the concerns about the loss of business. “Catch rates continue to improve. Fishing is great. People keep coming.”
Peterson admitted that a few resorts on Kabetogema Lake closed, but he said rising land values may have played as much a role as the lake’s fishing regulations.
Some resort owners were not so quick to believe that their business would not be affected.
“Your paycheck will come whether you’re right or not,” said Tom Kratzke, owner of Randall’s Resort. “Ours won’t.”
But anglers won’t come to Lake of the Woods and Rainy River if there are no fish, responded Larson.
DNR studies show that even with reduced bag limits or narrow slots that angler pressure remains the same or rises. Tom Heinrich of the DNR said that if the catching is good, anglers will come whether they can take four or six fish.
Ed Arnesen, owner of Arnesen’s Rocky Point, cautioned opponents of the proposal that commercial fishing could teach a valuable history lesson. In the 1930s, he said small net fishing nearly decimated the fish population in the lake.
“This lake has crashed before,” Arnesen said. “We have to spread out the catch.”
The proposal also spurred discussion about Red Lake, which currently is closed to walleye fishing in an effort to allow the population recover from over fishing. Crappie anglers say they believe walleye fishing on Red Lake will be excellent when it is re-opened, which may alleviate some of the angling pressure on Lake of the Woods.
Meanwhile, Larson said annual harvest on each lake is reviewed every year. While bag limits on Lake of the Woods may not be relaxed, but size slots and protected slots could be reconsidered if harvest is down and the fish population is healthy, he said.
In contrast, he said if proposed changes are implemented and the fishery does not improve, the protected slot could become more restrictive.
The proposed regulation changes are:
• Lake of the Woods, from walleye opener to Nov. 30
- walleye/sauger aggregate limit would be six (not more than four could be walleye)
- walleye and sauger between 191/2 -28 inches would have to be released immediately
- only one walleye over 28 inches total length could be possessed
• Lake of the Woods, from Dec. 1 to April 14
- walleye/sauger aggregate limit would be eight (not more than four could be walleye)
- walleye and sauger between 191/2 -28 inches would have to be released immediately
- only one walleye over 28 inches total length could be possessed
• Four Mile Bay of Lake of the Woods, March 1 to April 14
- walleye/sauger aggregate limit would be two (no fish over 191/2 inches)
• Rainy River, from walleye opener to February
- walleye/sauger aggregate limit would be six (not more than four could be walleye)
- walleye and sauger between 191/2 -28 inches would have to be released immediately
- only one walleye over 28 inches total length could be possessed
• Rainy River, March 1 to April 14
- walleye/sauger aggregate limit would be two (no fish over 191/2 inches)
The public will have more chances to give comment on the proposals when the DNR conducts meetings in Roseau tonight and at Room SC-115 in Rainy River Community College in International Falls. All meetings are scheduled to run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. People unable to attend the meetings may submit written comments by Oct. 15 to the DNR Fisheries Area Office, 204 Main Street East, Baudette, MN 56623, by e-mail to mike.larson@dnr.state.mn.us, or by phone to (218) 634-2522.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004