Public meetings set for mid-February and early March to update sturgeon management plan

OSHKOSH, Wis. - Wisconsin's oldest fish species - lake sturgeon present when dinosaurs roamed the earth - is set for an updated management plan. Sturgeon lovers can help shape that plan by attending one of eight public meetings statewide in mid-February and early-March.

"Wisconsin's sturgeon team is in the early stages of a process to update the sturgeon management plan and we want to hear from anglers and others interested in sturgeon," says Ryan Koenigs, the sturgeon biologist who leads the Department of Natural Resources sturgeon team. "These meetings provide people an opportunity to comment on the state's sturgeon management program and will set the stage for development of the plan."

Sturgeon facts and history

Lake sturgeon are currently managed under guidance from the 2000 Lake Sturgeon Management Plan. An updated plan will allow DNR staff and partners to continue to build on the previous plan's success, set new goals, and include management strategies for both lake sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon management. It is important to note that the previous plan did not include shovelnose sturgeon.

Public meeting dates, locations and starting times are listed below:

• Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Eau Claire, 6:30 p.m., DNR Eau Claire Service Center, 1300 W. Clairemont Ave.;
• Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Fitchburg, 6:30 p.m., DNR Fitchburg Service Center, 3911 Fish Hatchery Road;
• Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Webster, 6:30 p.m., Larsen Family Public Library, 7401 W. Main St.;
• Wednesday, Feb. 21 - La Crosse, 6:30 p.m. DNR La Crosse Service Center, 3550 Mormon Coulee Road;
• Wednesday, Feb. 21 - Oshkosh, 6:30 p.m., Coughlin Building, Conference rooms A and B, 625 E County Road Y;
• Wednesday, Feb. 21 - Park Falls, 6 p.m. Public Library, 410 Division St.;
• Tuesday, March 6 - Ashland, 6 p.m. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, 2100 Beaser Ave.; and
• Tuesday, March 6 - Oconto, 6 p.m., Oconto City Hall, 1210 Main St.

There also will be future opportunities for people to comment online, and materials prepared for the meetings will be posted online as they become available.

Wisconsin has long been regarded as a national and international leader in sturgeon protection, restoration and research - a reputation built since DNR began regulating sturgeon harvest on the Winnebago system in 1903.

Wisconsin offers a hook-and-line season on multiple major rivers with healthy, growing populations and boasts the world's largest self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon. In locations where sturgeon populations are not as strong, DNR and partners are working to rebuild sturgeon populations.

For more information regarding sturgeon management, visit dnr.wi.gov and search keyword "sturgeon."

DNR to provide highlights of Lake Michigan comments at Fisheries Forum event

CLEVELAND, Wis. — Leaders from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fisheries team will summarize high priority comments and seek additional feedback on the Lake Michigan Integrated Fisheries Management Plan at Wednesday’s (Sept. 17) meeting of the Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum.

The event, free and open to the public, runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Lakeshore Technical College, 1290 North Avenue, Cleveland, Wis. The meeting will be in the Cleveland Training Room.

The Lake Michigan Integrated Fisheries Management Plan will guide fisheries management of the lake for the next 10 years. While much has been accomplished through the previous 10 year plan, major ecological changes including the arrival and proliferation of aquatic invasive species such as the quagga mussel have made the lake less productive.

Input from anglers and other stakeholders is critical in developing the plan and the public comment period has been extended. Brad Eggold, Lake Michigan fisheries supervisor, said the Fisheries Forum meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the high priority comments already received and solicit additional feedback.

“The Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum’s connection with the Sea Grant Institute provides an opportunity for participants to share their wealth of knowledge about the lake,” Eggold said. “We anticipate the Fisheries Forum members will offer some innovative insights into the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

The Lake Michigan Fisheries Forum provides members with the latest in research, management news and trends affecting the lake. The forum is facilitated by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and operates independently from DNR. Representatives from major sport fishing clubs on Lake Michigan and Green Bay, commercial fishers, the Conservation Congress and the University of Wisconsin System are formal members of the forum. Meetings are open to the public.

Comments on the Lake Michigan Integrated Fisheries Management Plan can be sent by email to DNRLakeMichiganPlan@wisconsin.gov or by mail to: Wisconsin DNR, Attn: David Boyarski, 110 S. Neenah Ave., Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235. Details of the plan can be found on the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov by searching for keywords "Lake Michigan plan."

Reminder: Public meetings kick off Aug. 4 for Lake Michigan fisheries management plan

MADISON — The state is revising its long-term fisheries management plan for Wisconsin's Lake Michigan waters and citizens are invited to provide input through a series of four meetings set for the week of Aug. 4.

Lake Michigan has seen drastic ecological changes in recent years and the new Lake Michigan Integrated Fisheries Management Plan will guide fisheries management from 2015-2024.

Hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the meetings run from 6 to 8 p.m. and are set for:

• Monday, Aug. 4, Green Bay - Wisconsin DNR Green Bay Service Center, 2984 Shawano Ave.
• Tuesday, Aug. 5, Cleveland - Lakeshore Technical College, 1290 North Ave.
• Thursday, Aug. 7, Milwaukee - at UW-Milwaukee GLRF-SFS, 600 E. Greenfield Ave.
• Thursday, Aug. 7, Peshtigo - Wisconsin DNR Peshtigo Service Center, 101 N. Ogden Road.

Wisconsin’s DNR manages Lake Michigan fisheries in partnership with other state, federal and tribal agencies and in consultation with the public, particularly sport and commercial fishers. The draft plan was developed in consultation with a variety of stakeholders and included previous opportunities for public input.

People who are interested in commenting can find the draft plan and summary information on the DNR's website, dnr.wi.gov, by searching for "Lake Michigan Plan." In addition to providing verbal comments at the public meetings, written comments can be sent to a special email address created for the plan: DNRLakeMichiganPlan@Wisconsin.gov. Written comments also can be mailed to: Brad Eggold, Department of Natural Resources, Great Lakes Water Institute, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53204.

The Department will use the comments received at the August meetings and through other contacts this summer and fall to complete a final draft plan ready for final department administrative review by December.

Public comment period open for invasive species rule changes

MADISON - A proposal to add more than 80 new species to the list of restricted and prohibited invasive species in Wisconsin is now open for public comment and will be the subject of two public hearings to be held in June. The comment period is open until June 30, 2014.

In April, the state Natural Resources Board approved a request from the Department of Natural Resources to take proposed revisions to the state's invasive species rule, Chapter NR 40 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, to public hearings. Revisions include adding the new species to the list and changing the regulatory status of several species including emerald ash borer for the state.

Currently, the emerald ash borer, a beetle, responsible for the destruction of tens of thousands of ash trees in Wisconsin, is classified as a prohibited species. Under the rule, prohibited species are those that are not widespread in the state and whose spread can be prevented or limited to certain areas using eradication methods. Since the first discovery of EAB in Wisconsin in 2008, and its listing as a prohibited species in 2009, it has spread to 19 counties prompting a proposal to change EAB regulatory status to restricted.

Restricted species are those already found in the state and may be more widespread. Eradication is improbable but the spread can still be managed. Measures to manage the spread of EAB will still be used, such as Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection quarantines and DNR firewood transportation restrictions. Under the proposed revisions to NR 40, possession is not prohibited and control is not required for restricted species.

The proposed rule and supporting documents, including the fiscal estimate, may be viewed and downloaded from the Administrative Rules System website.

The public hearings will be held:

• Tuesday, June 17, Madison - 4 p.m. in the State Natural Resources Building, 101 S. Webster St., Room G09. The public hearing in Madison will be webcasted live for those who are unable to participate in person. To request a webcast link, please contact Terrell Hyde by noon on June 16, 2014 at invasive.species@wisconsin.gov or call 608-264-9255.
• Wednesday, June 18, Green Bay - 4 p.m. at the DNR Green Bay Service Center, 2984 Shawano Ave., Lake Michigan Room.

Public invited to comment on bass regulations on 4 Otter Tail County lakes

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will hold two public meetings to provide information about the existing bass regulations and ask for public comments on whether the regulations should be continued, modified or rescinded on Jewett, Pickerel, Clitherall and Sewell lakes in Otter Tail County.

The first meeting will be 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Fergus Falls DNR Headquarters, 1509 First Ave. N. in Fergus Falls.

The second meeting will be 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Lakes Area Community Center, 112 West Main St. in Battle Lake.

Jewett Lake is 8 miles north of Fergus Falls. Pickerel Lake is 12 miles north of Underwood. Clitherall Lake is 5 miles south of Battle Lake. Sewell Lake is 7 miles southeast of Dalton.

Currently, there is a 12- to 20-inch protected slot length limit for bass on Jewett, Pickerel and Sewell lakes. Clitherall Lake currently has a catch-and-release regulation for smallmouth bass.

Prior to the meeting, notices will be published in local newspapers.

Those unable to attend the meetings may submit written comments any time to: DNR Fergus Falls area fisheries, 1509 First Ave. N., Fergus Falls, MN 56537, or via email to james.wolters@state.mn.us or fergusfalls.fisheries@state.mn.us. To provide comments by phone, call 218-739-7576. All comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 30.

Public comments will also be accepted during an open house 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24 at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul.