May 18, 2007 - TOP STORIES
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Senate backs outdoors amendment
Pawlenty catches mixed bag at Governor's Fishing Opener
Scientists: Warming weather threatens walleye
Winter trout fishing, night bow fishing among proposed DNR rule changes
Minnesota DNR Enforcement bolsters its ranks
Senate backs outdoors amendment
Senate backs long-soughtamendment for environment
By Patrick Condon
Associated Press Writer
ST. PAUL (AP) – Just in time for Saturday’s fishing opener, the Minnesota Senate on Friday approved a constitutional amendment that will ask voters to approve a small increase in the state sales tax, with the money set aside to pay for protection of hunting and fishing habitats, as well as lake and river cleanup, and arts and cultural programs.
If the House of Representatives follows suit, Minnesotans would vote on the amendment in November 2008. They’d be asked to raise the state sales tax by 3/8 of 1 percent, which would generate about $291 million by fiscal year 2011.
Backers said that hunting and fishing, clean water and the arts are key facets to Minnesota’s vaunted quality of life, but that they are often underfunded because the Legislature is forced to direct most state resources to more urgent priorities like education and health care.
“We have a chance to invest in the future of the land of 10,000 lakes,” said Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids. “Let’s save our waters, let’s save our forests, let’s save them for our children and grandchildren so they can use it the way that we have.”
The amendment would dedicate 43 percent of the proceeds to water cleanup, 33 percent to outdoor habitat preservation and 24 percent to the arts programs.
Lawmakers have stumbled in numerous previous attempts to set aside a pot of state money specifically for outdoor programs. The amendment has grown over the years to include water cleanup and arts programs, in order to draw wider support from lawmakers.
“This is something that can bring Minnesotans together,” said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, who threw his weight behind the effort this year. “It brings vegetarians together with hunters. What is wrong with that? Nothing.”
Still, the amendment nearly tripped up in its way through the Legislature again this year. Some supporters of the outdoor aspect of the amendment said that adding the arts funding would turn off some voters.
“I’m sorry to the sportsmen, because I don’t think the way it’s been crafted will help in getting it passed and I think you’ve been dealt an injustice,” said Sen. Tom Neuville, R-Northfield.
Several influential Senate Democrats nearly derailed the effort because they oppose dedicating tax proceeds in the state Constitution, arguing that the Legislature should simply raise the sales tax directly instead of seeking cover from voters.
“Show the leadership that the people in this state want you to show,” said Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook. “If these things are important, than put real money into them. Real money.”
The amendment’s House companion has some differences from the Senate version, meaning differences will likely have to be ironed out in conference committee. Because it’s a constitutional amendment, it doesn’t require Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s approval.
Pawlenty catches mixed bag at Governor's Fishing Opener
See photos in the May 18 issue of Outdoors Weekly!
WALKER, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Pawlenty had a good day of fishing at the Governor’s Fishing Opener Saturday on Leech Lake.
Pawlenty caught his first fish – a 4-pound northern pike – off of Stony Point in the lake near Walker just after 8 a.m., the governor’s office said.
Pawlenty ended up reeling in two northerns, two walleye and a perch before heading in for a shore lunch.
First lady Mary Pawlenty caught three walleye and two perch while Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau caught three walleye and nine perch.
Guide Chip Leer was the Pawlentys’ fishing host.
Saturday was the start of Minnesota’s walleye, sauger and northern pike season.
Pawlenty announced that Pequot Lakes and Breezy Point will be the site of the 60th anniversary of the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener, May 10 and 11, 2008. Governor Pawlenty made the announcement at the end of this year’s event at Leech Lake.
Scientists: Warming weather threatens walleye
By John Myers
Duluth News Tribune
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – Maybe it’s prophetic that Minnesota is changing its new conservation license plates to show a jumping largemouth bass.
As 2 million anglers prepared for Minnesota’s walleye season, which opened Saturday, some fisheries experts warn that the state’s most popular fish may be harder to find in future years. That could mean the next generation of Minnesota anglers will be more excited about the Memorial Day weekend bass opener than the traditional mid-May walleye opener.
Scientists say that within a few decades some Minnesota lakes probably will be too warm for walleye to thrive. And even northern Minnesota lakes might get too warm in summer to hold key walleye food such as cisco.
Walleye are the backbone of the resort, fishing and bait industry and represent a century of family fishing traditions.
“We’re going to have fewer lakes with walleyes in them, and fewer walleyes in other lakes,” said Don Pereira, fisheries research and policy manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “We need to start getting the public thinking about accepting other game species, like bass.”
Average temperatures in Minnesota – already up a degree in the past century – are expected to increase another 3 degrees by 2050 and keep rising.
“Even if we act fast to do something, that’s where we’ll be. And we’re talking by mid-century, not 100 years from now,” Pereira told a conference organized by the DNR this past winter. “After that, it all depends on what humanity does with carbon emissions.”
That’s the projection of hundreds of scientists who study the issue. The warming appears to be caused by a doubling of carbon in the atmosphere over the past 150 years that is trapping more heat near the earth. A global panel of scientists says the carbon problem is caused by human activities, namely burning fossil fuels.
Minnesota scientists say the state’s summers will be more like Kansas by century’s end, and winters more like Illinois. The fish in Kansas? Few walleyes, and lots of bass and bullheads.
And it’s not just a Minnesota issue. A study of 209 lakes across the U.S., published in 2004 by University of Minnesota scientist Heniz Stefan, Environmental Protection Agency scientist John Eaton of Duluth and others, found that suitable habitat for cool-water fish like walleye will decline 30 percent because of higher temperatures.
It’s the state’s cold winters, and relatively cold waters, that keep walleyes from growing faster and bigger here. The world record 22-pound, 11-ounce walleye came from Arkansas, after all. Minnesota walleye haven’t hit 18 pounds.
Pereira said some northern Minnesota lakes will warm up into the walleye’s optimal temperature range as the state’s climate warms. Higher temperatures will mean many more days for walleyes to grow, and they should get bigger more quickly.
But when scientists look closer, the picture gets murkier.
Walleye do best in water that is between 59 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything warmer than that, even for short periods, and walleyes become stressed. At 82 degrees they stop eating. At 88 degrees, they die. The biggest, most prolific breeding fish die first.
Water temperatures in Lake Pepin, a famous walleye lake along the Mississippi River near Lake City in Goodhue County, are projected to rise into the walleye’s danger zone. Pereira said that not enough of Lake Pepin will remain below 77 degrees during hot summer months to support enough walleyes to keep the population thriving.
“If the projections are on target, Lake Pepin couldn’t hold many walleyes,” Pereira said, noting that warm summer temperatures already have caused Pepin’s big walleyes to grow slower, likely due to stress. And during springs after recent hot summers, those stressed walleyes have produced fewer young.
In some lakes, walleyes can move to deeper water – if there’s enough oxygen and quality food down deep. But scientists say that during the summer, deeper water will have less oxygen, causing “dead zones” near the bottom.
Most of Minnesota’s top 10 walleye lakes – the biggest, most popular, most productive walleye lakes in the state – don’t have a deep, cold-water refuge for fish to move into when water warms near the surface. Walleyes haven’t needed that refuge in the past, but may in a warmer future.
“Lakes that mix – deeper-water lakes like Rainy, Cass and Vermilion, and the Boundary Waters – could see better walleye production in the future,” Pereira said. “But the variable is what will happen with tullibee/cisco. (Walleyes) won’t grow faster if they don’t have the food.”
Already, some of Minnesota’s most famous and productive walleye lakes are seeing a marked increase in the number and severity of cisco die-offs, Pereira said.
Walleye can live eating just perch and minnows. But will they thrive, reproduce and grow?
“We’re just starting to try to answer that question now. We don’t know how important the cisco/tullibee relationship is with walleye,” Pereira said, noting research soon will begin on Lake Mille Lacs, which has seen increased die-offs of ciscoes in recent years.
“Temperature is only part of the equation for fish, one of the factors they need to live,” said Eaton, now retired from the EPA. “The temperature increase we’ll see may not directly affect a walleye in a specific lake, but it might affect something in the (food chain) that disrupts tullibee that disrupts walleye. We will be seeing a lot of indirect impacts we aren’t even thinking about yet.”
John Magnuson, emeritus professor of limnology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said evidence already is mounting that fish in some lakes no longer grow all summer.
“Instead of seeing the peak growth period in summer when it should be, we’re seeing a period where some fish stop growing. The charts look like a double-humped camel, with more growth in the spring and fall and no growth in the summer because it’s too hot,” Magnuson said. “We may see much longer growing seasons as we get warmer. But the middle of that growing season could well become lethal if the fish can’t find a refuge.”
Pereira said Minnesota anglers in 50 years will need to know how to catch more largemouth bass and sunfish. But he’s not suggesting that Minnesota change its official state fish. Not yet.
“We’re still going to have some walleye lakes, and likely some good walleye lakes up north,” Pereira said. “But lakes that are marginal now will no longer be able to support walleyes. And we’re going to have to make some decisions on whether it makes sense to keep trying to force them to produce walleyes or shift to a more suitable, warmer water species.”
Winter trout fishing, night bow fishing among proposed DNR rule changes
New rules proposed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) include the establishment of winter trout fishing opportunities in Aitkin and Hubbard counties, changes to commercial fishing operations and allowing night bow fishing on selected lakes.
Public comments on the proposals, published in the May 7 edition of the State Register, will be accepted through June 6. The proposed rules may be viewed on the DNR Web site: www.dnr.state.mn.us.
“These proposed changes are based on input from a broad range of stakeholders and a need to update some of our rules,” said Linda Erickson-Eastwood, program manager, DNR Section of Fisheries Management.
FISHING REGULATIONS
• winter trout fishing seasons would be established for lakes in Aitkin and Hubbard counties
• muskie fishing would be closed for the winter season starting Dec. 1
• opportunities for night bowfishing would be established
• existing fish spawning areas would be designated under rule for periodic closure by posting
• fish possession, shipping and transportation requirements, such as for transportation of sturgeon would be clarified or established
• the northern pike bag limit on Canada border lakes would be reduced to three with one fish more than 30 inches allowed in possession.
MINNOWS
• angling for minnows would be allowed in closed waters
• a special permit would be required to commercially harvest minnows in the Cedar River watershed (Dodge, Freeborn and Mower counties) to protect slender madtoms.
COMMERCIAL FISHING
• obsolete rules that allow the use of artificial lights to take turtles would be repealed to reflect changes in statute
• obsolete rules that allow the use of setlines on inland Mississippi River waters to reflect changes in statute
• add core lakes to commercial fishing area 12 in Otter Tail County
• repeal rules that create four commercial fishing areas in northwest Minnesota to better reflect harvest conditions.
Comments or questions on the proposed rules may be directed to Linda Erickson-Eastwood, Box 20, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4012; (651) 259-5100; e-mail Linda.Erickson-Eastwood@dnr.state.mn.us
Anglers reminded to check new regs
DNR News
Anglers should take a moment to review the 2007 Fishing Regulations, published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and available at more than 1,800 locations where fishing licenses are sold.
Regulations booklets include special and experimental regulations, regulations changes and new information about exotic species, catch-and-release, and fish identification. Updates and corrections to the regulations book are available online at www.dnr.state.mn.us.
“A number of changes were made this year, so anglers need to make sure they are aware of the regulations before they fish,” said Linda Erickson-Eastwood, program manager for the DNR Fisheries Management Section. “Besides that, the regulation book contains excellent information to help anglers protect their resource and enjoy their time on the water.”
Unless specifically mentioned, all other general regulations, seasons, limits, border water regulations, possession and transportation apply to waters with special and experimental regulations. Special and experimental regulations are also posted on signs at lake access points.
Key lakes with new regulations this year
Kabetogama-Namakan-Crane chain of lakes, where walleye regulations have been changed to a 17-to 28-inch protected slot limit and a bag limit of four
Bowstring, Sand, Round lakes and connecting waters, where the northern pike bag limit has been expanded to nine fish outside a 22- to 36-inch protected slot limit, designed to encourage harvest of numerous small northern pike while protecting larger northern pike
Itasca, Coon-Sandwick and Maplewood state parks, where there are new regulations on panfish, bass and northern pike
Mille Lacs, Leech, and Winnibigoshish and 43 other lakes: Anglers must immediately release all muskie smaller than 48 inches when the season opens June 2
Mississippi River from Grand Rapids to Coon Rapids, where all muskie must immediately be returned to the water.
Special and experimental regulations are summarized on pages 22-47 in the regulations book. New regulations are signified with an arrow.
Minnesota DNR Enforcement bolsters its ranks
For the first time since the early 1980s, Minnesota’s 152-field conservation officer stations are staffed
DNR News
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials made the announcement May 1, when 18 conservation officers were sworn into duty after graduating from the 12-week Conservation Officer Academy at Camp Ripley. Candidates now shift to the arduous 16-week field training officer program for field experience.
DNR Enforcement Chief Conservation Officer Col. Mike Hamm praised the candidates on their successful completion of the Academy, calling them part of the DNR’s vanguard of protection for Minnesota’s outdoor heritage.
Hamm noted that 131 officers have graduated from the Academy since 1997. They have filled the ranks of officers hired in the 1970s and 1980s who have retired. He said reaching full staffing would not have been possible without the assistance of many people and organizations.
“With this class of graduates, the DNR has a full complement of field officers to uphold the laws and regulations that protect our natural resources,” Hamm said. “This would not have been possible without the assistance of Gov. Pawlenty, all of our elected officials, outdoors stakeholder groups and individuals, the media and the people of Minnesota.”
A typical conservation officer is responsible for an average patrol area of nearly 600 square miles of Minnesota’s natural resources. That responsibility includes general natural resources law enforcement, investigations and education.
Although the graduation ceremony was formal it was also a family-oriented event. Children, spouses, family, friends and other law enforcement members were in abundance, many armed with cameras. Hamm took time during the swearing in ceremony to pose for pictures with the new officers and their families.
“Family support is so important so I make it a point to explain to family members that their loved one will likely miss many family events since the job of a conservation officer is a 24/7 responsibility,” Hamm said. “No doubt it’s a balancing act with family, but officers and families make it work.”
Although the DNR Enforcement Division is at full complement, Hamm noted it will be so for only a short time since more retirements are expected in the coming months. Another Academy is tentatively scheduled to begin in May 2008 to meet the shortfall.
In all, new conservation officers study 52 subjects while at the Academy before spending 16 weeks with their field training officer. The field training officer is a veteran conservation officer who will “show them how to do it, assist them in doing it and then evaluating how well they do it,” Hamm said.
Upon completing field training, the new conservation officers will receive their initial assignments. These newest conservation officers and their assignments include:
Aaron Kahre, Minnetonka
Brent Wiebusch, Spring Valley
Michael Martin, International Falls
Anthony Salzer, Ortonville
Daniel Thomasen, Two Harbors
Matthew Miller, Mora
Edward Picht, Madison
Troy Richards, Roseau
Brent Ihnen, Worthington
Brandon McGaw *
Brian Dobbick *
Paul Parthun *
Jeffrey Denz, Montevideo
Gregory Salo *
Shane Siltala *
Troy TerMeer, Babbitt
Daniel McBroom, Silver Bay
Robert Gorecki *
* unassigned at this time
© 2007 Outdoors Weekly Corporation