Public meetings set for Superior Coastal Plain, Northwest Sands, and Northwest Lowlands Ecological Landscape regional master plans postponed due to weather

Public comment period will be extended through May 3

ASHLAND, Wis. - With a spring snow storm set to impact much of the state, the public open house meetings for the Superior Coastal Plain, Northwest Sands, and Northwest Lowlands Ecological Landscapes have been postponed. Concerns over safety for the public and staff traveling to the meetings drove the decision to reschedule.

The public open house meetings will be held later in April. Both meetings run from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be held:

• Tuesday, April 24, Ashland at Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G
• Wednesday, April 25, Spooner at DNR Service Center, 810 W Maple St.

While the public meetings have been postponed, people can still learn more about and engage in the planning processes for Superior Coastal Plain, Northwest Sands, and Northwest Lowlands regional master plans online by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keywords "master planning" and selecting the ecological landscape they would like to learn about. People will also find opportunities to offer their input on the planning and management of the properties.

In addition to the opportunities to offer input online or at public meetings, people may contact DNR Planner Phil Rynish, by email at phillip.rynish@wisconsin.gov, phone at 608-266-5854, or US mail at Phil Rynish, Wisconsin DNR, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI, 53707-7921.

The public comment period for the first phase of planning will now remain open through May 3, 2018.

Public comments sought on waterway and wetland general permit for water quality activities

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on a proposed waterway and wetland general permit for certain agricultural water quality conservation activities.
"The proposed general permit would allow county, state, and federal agencies to implement water quality conservation practices in agricultural settings through a streamlined permitting process," said Amanda Minks, DNR waterway and wetland policy coordinator.

Several activities can be covered under the proposed general permit so long as they meet the applicable permitting standards and include grassed waterways, filter strips, lined waterways, grade stabilization structures, stream crossings, water and sediment control basins, dams, sediment basins, and constructed wetlands.

"This permit supports conservation work done by partner agencies, including county land conservation department, NRCS and others," Minks said.

DNR does not anticipate this general permit to result in a significant negative effect on the environment. To view a copy of the draft permit or to view other information about the Department of Natural Resources individual and general permitting process, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for "wetland disturbance."

An informational hearing is also scheduled for Wednesday, March 21, 2-3:30 p.m. in room G09 of the State Natural Resources Building, 101 S. Webster St., Madison. Comments can be submitted to DNRWYWRZGuidance@wisconsin.gov until close of business March 30.

For more information, call Amanda Minks at 608-264-9223 or submit written comments via U.S. mail to Amanda Minks, DNR-WT/3, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.

Informational Meetings for Proposed Updates to Wisconsin's Wetland Indicator Layer

The first step land owners, developers and builders need to take before picking up a shovel or calling in the bulldozers is determining whether a proposed project site is located within a wetland. A new upgrade to the Department of Natural Resource’s interactive wetland indicator map found at dnr.wi.gov will make it easier to determine if a project has the potential to impact wetlands.

“The advantage of this new upgrade is to target potential wetlands on a land owner’s property to avoid any inadvertent wetlands disturbance during development and avoid unnecessary wetland delineation costs,” says Amanda Minks, DNR Waterway and Wetland Policy Coordinator.

Minks said the DNR has been working with the National Resource Conservation Service to integrate updated soil information, field reporting and digital topography tools to its current map, which is referred to as the pink layer, so that the agency can provide users with the most comprehensive tool possible.

If wetland impacts are possible, state law requires a wetland delineation to confirm wetland impacts and determine the amount of the potential impact. The newly upgraded tool will allow users to target areas at a more refined scale, which can help avoid or minimize wetland impacts and determine the appropriate regulatory process for projects.

To preview the updated system to potential users, the department is hosting two hour-long informational meetings on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 10:00 a.m., at the Green Bay Service Center, and Friday, March 9, 2018, 2 p.m., in room G09 at the DNR Central Office, 101 S. Webster, in Madison.

“We want to give our potential users an opportunity to experience the changes before we release the final upgrade to the public in late spring this year so they will better understand the changes and how to use the layer,” Minks said.

Anyone interested in learning more about wetland indicators can visit the DNR’s website (dnr.wi.gov) to read more about recognizing indicators and view informational videos about the steps toward ensuring building projects start off on the right track.   Questions or comments can also be emailed directly to Amanda Minks at Amanda.Minks@Wisconsin.gov.

DNR seeks feedback on Lake Michigan management strategies

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will convene three public meetings in late June to discuss management strategies and opportunities for Lake Michigan in light of continued challenges facing salmon populations and the alewives they feed on.

The meetings will focus on a variety of potential management actions to ensure continued diverse opportunities for sport anglers. Topics for discussion will include finding the right species mix, use of net pens, hatchery production, habitat restoration and the potential to increase focus on species with the greatest chances of thriving given the record low levels of open water forage fish such as alewives and rainbow smelt.

The initiative represents part of an ongoing effort by DNR to ensure anglers' voices are heard as ecological changes continue to alter Lake Michigan's food web. The meetings follow announcement of a proposal by the Lake Michigan Committee, a multistate organization charged with managing the Lake Michigan fishery, to reduce lake-wide stocking of chinook salmon by 61.5 percent from current levels, beginning in 2017.

This proposed reduction would equate to a 56 percent chinook salmon reduction (from 810,000 to 355,000) for Wisconsin. The other states that border Lake Michigan would also take significant chinook salmon stocking reductions through this proposal. Michigan would go from 560,000 to 200,000, Illinois would go from 230,000 to 90,000 and Indiana would go from 200,000 to 45,000. The fisheries managers across Lake Michigan believe that these reductions are necessary to maintain quality growth rates and healthy chinook for the fishery and to avoid a crash of the alewife forage base of the lake. Stocking has been a critical management tool to control alewives and provide a fantastic fishery over the years and while we have had to make reductions in the past, Wisconsin is still a leader in chinook salmon stocking.

"Since 2011, Wisconsin DNR has held more than 40 meetings, public input opportunities and attended sport and commercial meetings to work with anglers in developing a shared vision for management of our prized Lake Michigan fishery," said Todd Kalish, deputy director of DNR's fisheries bureau. "Recent data, including acoustic and trawl surveys, shows a continued decline in alewife populations and the predator-prey ratio has reached the tipping point. By working with anglers, we hope to preserve the salmon fishery to the greatest extent possible while developing and accessing options to enhance and maintain a diverse fishery. There is a framework in place that informs managers on the appropriate level of salmon and trout stocking numbers in Lake Michigan. This level can go up and down based on the available information that we are continually evaluating and upgrading."

Kalish said economic hardships caused by collapse of the salmon fishery in Lake Huron starting in 2003-04 offer a cautionary tale for Wisconsin given the more than $114.3 million in annual retail expenditures by Great Lakes sport anglers here. By working to preserve Lake Michigan's salmon fishery, DNR and its partners in surrounding states aim to navigate through the current predator-prey challenges to preserve and protect this economically important fishery into the future.

"We are particularly concerned about the many charter fishing operators on these waters and will be working to identify new opportunities to promote the diverse Lake Michigan fishing opportunities," Kalish said.

If this proposal is implemented, Wisconsin fishery managers would continue efforts to ensure a fall salmon run in Lake Michigan Rivers and streams in 10 counties. Anglers attending the upcoming meetings will be asked to provide feedback on Wisconsin's plans to distribute chinook salmon at locations including Strawberry Creek Rearing Facility, Green Bay and Lake Michigan tributaries or ports in Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Door, Oconto and Marinette counties.

Brad Eggold, DNR southern Lake Michigan fisheries supervisor, said that while chinook salmon would remain an essential part of the diverse Lake Michigan fishery, going forward, species that show more adaptability in their feeding preferences may play a larger role. In addition to chinook, each year DNR stocks hundreds of thousands of coho salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout at more than 40 locations along the Lake Michigan coast. The Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan also receive about 800,000 lake trout produced by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Working with anglers, we intend to use a variety of techniques to optimize survival of stocked trout and salmon," Eggold said. "At the same time, we will continue to work with stakeholders on projects to enhance the salmon and trout fishery on Lake Michigan. We also intend to review our management practices to ensure we are able to respond quickly as new information becomes available."

The three meetings are set for 6 to 8 p.m.:

• Monday, June 27, Lakeshore Technical College, Centennial Hall West, 1290 North Ave., Cleveland, WI 53015
• Wednesday, June 29, Brown County Library, Auditorium, 515 Pine St. , Green Bay, WI 54301
• Thursday, June 30, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, Ballroom, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204

To learn more about Lake Michigan fisheries management including historic stocking trends visit DNR.wi.gov and search "Fishing Lake Michigan." More information about the meetings can be found here:  http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/lakemichigan/LakeMichiganSalmonandTroutMeetings.html

Public meeting set for Dec. 1 in Ashland on Lake Superior fisheries management

ASHLAND, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is inviting anglers, commercial fishers, conservation stakeholders and interested citizens to attend a public meeting on Dec. 1 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland to discuss Lake Superior fisheries management plans including the lake trout harvest outlook for 2015.

For the coming year, lake trout population assessments show lower numbers of fish will meet the minimum size range of 15 inches, although models indicate that relatively strong lake trout reproduction in 2008 and 2009 should result in higher fish numbers and harvest quotas beginning in 2016. Public input is being sought to identify local fisheries issues, opportunities and challenges. The meeting aims to ensure all aspects of the fishery are considered and increase awareness of the resource.

DNR is interested in exploring management options with the public and welcomes diverse viewpoints from stakeholders. The department will use the public comments it gathers as well as the latest scientific findings in working to sustain and enhance the fishery.

For the 2015 season, DNR anticipates reduced limits that will affect commercial, recreational and tribal anglers. A temporary rule will be proposed to cover the season for commercial and recreational anglers while long-term sustainability is discussed among stakeholders.

The Dec. 1 public meeting in Ashland will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806. (Agenda [PDF]) In addition to collecting comments at the meeting, citizens may provide feedback by mailing Terry L. Margenau, Lake Superior fisheries supervisor, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 589, 141 S. Third St., Bayfield, WI 54814; or emailing Terry.margenau@wisconsin.gov.

Public invited to weigh in on Lake Superior fisheries management at Ashland meeting Dec. 1

Lake trout harvest outlook, fish population data among topics on agenda

ASHLAND, Wis. -- Anglers, commercial fishers, conservation stakeholders and interested citizens are encouraged to attend a public meeting hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Dec. 1 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland to discuss Lake Superior fisheries management plans including the lake trout harvest outlook for 2015.

For the coming year, lake trout population assessments show lower numbers of fish will meet the minimum size range of 15 inches, although models indicate that relatively strong lake trout reproduction in 2008 and 2009 should result in higher fish numbers and harvest quotas beginning in 2016. Public input is being sought to identify local fisheries issues and discuss management objectives as well as opportunities and challenges. The meeting aims to ensure all aspects of the fishery are considered and increase awareness of the resource.

"We look forward to exploring management options with the public and we welcome diverse viewpoints from stakeholders," said Bill Cosh, DNR spokesman. "We appreciate the vital role lake trout play in the region's economy as well as Lake Superior's ecology and we will use the public comments and latest scientific findings in our continuing efforts to sustain and enhance the fishery."

For the 2015 season, DNR anticipates reduced limits that will affect commercial, recreational and tribal anglers. A temporary rule will be proposed to cover the season for commercial and recreational anglers while long-term sustainability is discussed among stakeholders.

The Dec. 1 public meeting in Ashland will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (exit DNR), 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806.

For more information about the Lake Superior fishery, visit dnr.wi.gov and search "fishing Lake Superior."

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.

DNR: Rest Lake Dam Public Information Meetings on June 27,2014

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host two public information meetings on Friday, June 27, prior to determining a new operating order for the Rest Lake Dam.  The meetings will start at 12:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. at Manitowish Waters Town Hall, near the intersection of Highway 51 and Airport Road, Manitowish Waters, WI  54545.

The meeting format will include a brief presentation followed by a comment period.  After the 12:30 p.m. meeting, comments will be collected until 5 p.m.  After the 6 p.m. meeting, comments will be collected until 9 p.m. 

Speakers at the meetings will be encouraged to focus on providing new information, including comments that relate to environmental and economic concerns.  DNR will give equal weight to written comments, which can be submitted by email to:  DNRRestLake@Wisconsin.gov or mailed to DNR Service Center, Attn - Rest Lake Dam, 2501 Golf Course Road, Ashland, WI  54806.

The draft order will be posted to the DNR website (http://dnr.wi.gov/water/basin/upwis/restlakedam/) in late May to provide a full month for public review.  Environmental and economic comments provided by citizens and stakeholder groups during previous information-gathering stages of the project continue to inform development of the draft operating order.     The upcoming June meetings follow the postponement of those scheduled for August 2013.  Those meetings were postponed due to a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in July 2013 that has now been fully reviewed. 

DNR appreciates the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the process and anticipates issuing an order that balances the ability to protect and manage the area's natural resources while supporting the economy and the well-being of the community.  Please return to check the website for periodic updates and we invite you to subscribe to e-newsletters using the information listed.

How to Receive Updates

Updates on the Rest Lake Dam operating order will be posted to this DNR Web page:  http://dnr.wi.gov/water/basin/upwis/restlakedam/ and distributed by email using GovDelivery distribution lists.  A link is provided on the DNR Web page to sign up for Rest Lake Dam updates using the GovDelivery service.

Contact Information

If you have questions about the status of the Rest Lake operating order, contact:

John Spangberg
715-685-0431

Send email to: DNRRestLake@Wisconsin.gov

Mail to:

DNR Service Center
Attn: Rest Lake Dam
2501 Golf Course Road
Ashland, WI  54806

WI Natural Resources Board May agenda posted

NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD
A G E N D A
For meeting at:
Tundra Lodge and Conference Center
865 Lombardi Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54304
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 – Thursday, May 29, 2014
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, May 27, 2014, the Natural Resources Board will have an informal meeting with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Executive Council at approximately 6:30 p.m. at Tundra Lodge and Conference Center, 865 Lombardi Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54304.

Click link below:

http://dnr.wi.gov/About/NRB/2014/May/May-2014-NRB-agenda.pdf?o=n

Department of Natural Resources Annual Spring Fish & Wildlife Public Hearing & Wisconsin Conservation Congress Annual Spring County Conservation Meeting (April 14, 2014)

PROPOSED STATEWIDE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT RULE CHANGE  (1)
and
DEPARTMENT FISHERIES ADVISORY QUESTIONS

We have posted the One Proposed Statewide Fisheries Management Rule Change regarding “Statewide Trolling” as well as the over 25 Department Fisheries Advisory questions for easy review.

Click Here to review the Department change and questions.

Deer herd status meetings and annual spring fish and game hearings combined in 2014

MADISON -- Planning for the 2014 deer hunting season is underway and wildlife biologists with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources invite anyone interested in discussing Wisconsin's deer herd to attend deer herd status meetings.

In 2014, these meetings will be held in conjunction with DNR and Wisconsin Conservation Congress' annual spring fish and game hearings on Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties.

DNR wildlife staff schedule deer herd status meetings annually and will once again seek public input on a variety of deer-related issues. Herd status meetings provide an early opportunity for hunters and other interested individuals to discuss the current status of the deer herd and ask other deer management questions.

Local wildlife biologists will present information about new deer hunting rules and regulations that were recently adopted as part of the deer trustee report's two-year management review. Wildlife biologists will attend each meeting to listen to ideas and observations from the public and discuss possible strategies for managing Wisconsin's deer herd.

"We annually rely on hunter input to help inform our decisions, especially as they relate to antlerless permit levels," said Kevin Wallenfang, DNR big game ecologist.

"With all the changes as to how we approach deer management now, plus a tough winter and the impacts it will have on the herd, we hope that by holding the meeting jointly with the spring hearings, we will see an increase in public participation."

The spring fish and game hearings present an opportunity for anyone interested in natural resources management to share their input through non-binding vote and testimony to the DNR, State Natural Resources Board and the Conservation Congress on proposed hunting and fishing rule changes and advisory questions.

Those unable to attend a local meeting are encouraged to provide their personal input using an online herd status summary and survey, which will be active from March 25 to April 18. To participate, search the DNR website dnr.wi.gov for keywords "Deer Hunter Forum." Comments and survey results will be compiled and provided to the wildlife biologist responsible for each county before final permit levels are set for the 2014 deer season.

To find a meeting location [PDF] search the DNR website dnr.wi.gov for keywords "spring hearings."

Plan for removal of nonnative phragmites, an invasive plant, open for comment

MADISON - A plan to treat with an herbicide up to 200 acres of an aggressive invasive plant in Wisconsin's Lake Michigan basin counties to prevent it from spreading to inland lakes and wetlands is available for public comment through March 24.

Department of Natural Resources received $200,000 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative fund to implement the starting in 2014 of a new project within Wisconsin's Lake Michigan basin to find the leading western edge of the phragmites invasion and "push" it back toward Lake Michigan. The plan is patterned after an earlier project on the western shores of Green Bay and parts of Lake Michigan, which showed an average 90 percent reduction in phragmites abundance after treatment. Nonnative phragmites can decrease wildlife habitat and shade out native plant species.

"In many Wisconsin counties, especially in the western Lake Michigan basin, the non-native strain of phragmites is a newly establishing invasive wetland or lakeshore plant," says Stacy Schumacher, a DNR water resources management specialist. "We are hoping we can build on the success of an earlier project to prevent phragmites from getting established and spreading to many of our inland lakes and wetlands and causing problems there."

This project will focus first on eliminating nonnative phragmites in those counties in the far northwestern part of the Lake Michigan basin, then move south and east through the counties along the western edge of the basin, as funding allows. The goal is to treat at least 200 acres of nonnative phragmites, beginning in late summer 2014, with follow-up treatments in 2015.

Appropriate formulas of imazapyr or glyphosate will be applied by certified personnel to prevent the herbicides affecting non-target plants. The herbicides are nontoxic for fish, wildlife and humans. In areas where this treatment method has been used, phragmites populations have decreased by up to 95 percent and allowed native vegetation in the seed bank to recover, Schumacher says.

The proposed DNR action is not anticipated to result in significant adverse environmental effects and DNR has made a preliminary determination that an environmental impact statement will not be required for this action.

Copies of the environmental assessment that led to the DNR's preliminary determination can be found on the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act page of the DNR website, or obtained from Stacy Schumacher, Water Resources Management Specialist, 608-264-8955, stacy.schumacher@wi.gov.

Public comments, either written or oral, on the environmental assessment are welcome and must be submitted to Stacy Schumacher no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 24, 2014.

Draft master plan for the Green Bay wildlife, fisheries and natural areas available for public input

PESHTIGO, Wis. - Protection of aquatic resources and habitats - including northern pike and sturgeon spawning areas - and high-quality and rare natural communities are among the objectives of a draft plan for the management and use of the Green Bay Planning group, a collection of Department of Natural Resources properties scattered along the west shore of Green Bay.

The public will have an opportunity to review and comment on the Green Bay Planning Group Draft Master Plan and Environmental Assessment at an upcoming public meeting scheduled for January 29 in Oconto.

The draft plan describes proposed future land management strategies, recreational opportunities, and boundary modifications for the properties, which include wildlife areas, fisheries area and State Natural Areas. The following properties are covered by the planning process: the 11 units of the Green Bay West Shore Wildlife Area - Charles Pond, Little Tail, Long Tail, Oconto Marsh, Peats Lake, Pecor Point, Pensaukee, Peshtigo Harbor, Rush Point, Sensiba and Tibbett-Suamico; the Badger Gift Lands, a 757-acre parcel adjacent to and north of the Peshtigo Harbor Unit of the Green Bay West Shore Wildlife Area that was given to the DNR as part of a 2002 consent decree with the Fort James Operating Company as part of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment for the Fox River; Bloch Oxbow State Natural Area; and other scattered wildlife and fisheries lands.

Highlights of proposed management include:

• Continued emphasis on management of coastal wetlands, including emergent marsh, sedge meadow, bottomland and swamp hardwoods, shrub swamps and riverine habitats.
• Protection and management of aquatic resources and habitats, including northern pike and sturgeon spawning areas, and game and non-game fisheries.
• Protection and management of high-quality and regionally rare natural communities such as southern sedge meadow, floodplain forest, northern dry mesic forest, Great Lakes barrens and oak woodlands that harbor rare species.
• Continued emphasis on traditional outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing and trapping.
• Improvements to an existing shooting range.
• Identification and development of additional opportunities for shore fishing, accessible hunting, wildlife viewing, hiking, paddling and cross-country skiing.
• Modifications to existing project boundaries including 335 acres of boundary contractions and 2,891 acres of expansions, 980 acres of which are already in DNR ownership.
• Continued collaborations with private landowners, local governments and conservation organizations on shared stewardship, management and recreation goals.

The DNR also has received a request from a local snowmobile club to route a connector trail from the Marinette County snowmobile trail network across a portion of the Peshtigo Harbor Unit in order to access Green Bay and is seeking public comment on this proposal.

A public meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the Oconto High School auditorium, 1717 Superior Avenue, Oconto.

The meeting agenda is as follows: open house with informational displays available and staff present for one-on-one questions and discussion, 6-6:45 p.m.; formal presentation providing an overview of the draft plan, 6:45-7 p.m.; formal question-and-answer period 7-7:15 p.m.; additional open house and one-on-one questions and discussion, 7:15-8 p.m.

The proposed action is not anticipated to result in significant adverse environmental effects. The DNR has made a preliminary determination that an environmental impact statement will not be required.

The Draft Master Plan and Environmental Assessment, along with maps and other background information, will be available for viewing at the public meeting. They can also be viewed online by searching the DNR website dnr.wi.gov, for keywords "Green Bay master plan."

The Draft Master Plan and Environmental Assessment will also be available for review at the DNR Green Bay Service Center, DNR Peshtigo Service Center and at the Peshtigo Public Library, Farnsworth Public Library in Oconto and Brown County Library, Weyers-Hilliard Branch, in Green Bay.

Comments or questions about these documents can be offered at the public meeting, online through the master planning page of the DNR website or submitted to: John Huff by mail at 101 N. Ogden Road, Suite A, Peshtigo, WI 54157, by phone at 715-582-5047, or by email at john.huff@wisconsin.gov; or Yoyi Steele by mail at 101 S. Webster Street, WM/6, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921, by phone at 608-266-8169, or by email at yoyi.steele@wisconsin.gov

The public may submit comments through February 28, 2014.

Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing Organizations on Facebook

For more information about Fishing in Wisconsin and our wonderful resource in general check us out on Facebook.

Click Here

Public invited to share panfish feedback in meetings; Input to help guide statewide panfish management plan

MADISON – Anglers and others are invited to share their expectations for fishing for panfish in Wisconsin at more than two dozen meetings across the state in February and March.

“We want to hear from the public on what they want from their panfishing experience to help guide us in developing a statewide plan for managing panfish populations,” says Joanna Griffin, the Department of Natural Resources fisheries specialist coordinating the effort.

The public meetings mark the opening phases of statewide outreach efforts by Department of Natural Resources’ fisheries management to better connect with anglers in Wisconsin. These first meetings will focus on panfish management although other local fishery concerns may be covered at the meetings, she says.

Attendees at the meetings will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire to help DNR understand their concerns, issues and priorities for panfish. The questionnaire and background materials presented at the meeting will be available online in coming weeks.

DNR has long had management plans in place for game fish species such as walleye, bass, musky and northern pike, and biologists and some anglers believe such attention is necessary for panfish.

“We know there have been proposals from the Conservation Congress in recent years and again this year to reduce the daily 25 fish limit on panfish on select lakes. Their concerns, along with our data analyses and modeling efforts, lead us to believe we need to take the next step and develop a management plan.”

As a category, panfish are by far the most common fish caught by anglers in Wisconsin although anglers report walleye as their favorite target. Wisconsin anglers reported catching 88 million fish in the 2006-7 license year, of which 57.7 million were panfish, according to a statewide mail survey done that year. About 25.7 million of those panfish were kept.

“We hope the feedback we get from anglers can help us understand whether to stay the course, or if they want changes in their panfishing experience that could require us to do something different, depending on the particular waterbody and its capabilities.”

The dates, times and locations of the panfish meetings are listed below.

Feb. 12, Stevens Point, Ben Franklin Jr. High School, Learning Resource Center, 6:30 p.m., 2000 Polk St.

Feb. 18, Waukesha, DNR Waukesha Service Center, 7 p.m., 141 N.W. Barstow St.

Feb. 19, Eau Claire, DNR Eau Claire Regional Office, 7 p.m., 1300 W. Clairemont Ave.

Feb. 19 Horicon, DNR Horicon Marsh Education Center/lower level auditorium, 7 p.m. N7725 Highway 28

Feb. 20, Hayward, Hayward High School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m., 10320 N. Greenwood Lane

Feb. 21, Plymouth, Plymouth High School Cafeteria, 7 p.m., 125 S. Highland Ave.

Feb. 22-24, Madison, Madison Fishing Expo; Fri. 4 p.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m-7 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., DNR booth at the expo at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way

March 4, Shawano, Shawano Library, 5:30 p.m., 128 S. Sawyer St.

March 4, Burlington, Burlington High School Library (2nd floor) 6 p.m., 400 McCanna Pkwy

March 5, Mercer, Mercer Community Center, 6 p.m., 2648 W Margaret St.

March 6, Medford, Frances L Simek Memorial Library, 7 p.m., 400 N Main St.

March 6, Adams, Adams County Community Center, 6:30 p.m., M 569N Cedar St.

March 6, Florence, Wild Rivers Interpretive Center, Large Conf. Rm, 7 p.m., 5631 Forestry Dr.

March 7, Butternut, American Legion Hall, 6 p.m., 126 4th St. North

March 7, Dodgeville, DNR Dodgeville Office, Prairie Room 7 p.m. 1500 N Johns St.

March 7, Wautoma, Waushara County Courthouse, Demonstration Room, 6 p.m. 209 S Main St.

March 7, Fond du Lac, Fisherman's Road Fishing Club Headquarters, 7 p.m., End of Fisherman's Road on Lake Winnebago

March 11, Merrill, Merrill High School large conference room, 6 p.m. 1201 N. Sales St.

March 12, Brule, Brule Ranger Station, 7 p.m. 6250 S. Ranger Road

March 12, Menasha, Germania Hall, 7 p.m., 320 Chute St.

March 13, Rhinelander, Rhinelander Service Center, 7 p.m. 107 Sutliff Ave.

March 13, Green Bay, Brown County Library Auditorium, 6:30 p.m., 515 Pine St.

March 14, Woodruff, Woodruff Town Hall, 7 p.m., 1418 First Street (Highway 47)

March 14, Spooner, Spooner DNR Service Center, 7 p.m. , 810 W. Maple St.

March 14, Waupaca, Waupaca Area Library, 5:30 p.m., 107 S. Main St.

March 14, Black River Falls, U.W. Extension Office, 7 p.m., 227 S 11th St.

March 14, Woodruff, Woodruff Town hall, 7 p.m., 1418 First St. (Highway 47)

March 18, Balsam Lake, Polk County Government Center, East Conf. Rm. 7 p.m., 100 Polk County Plaza

March 18, Crivitz, Crivitz High School Auditorium, 6:30 p.m., 400 South Ave.

Take our online survey if you can’t attend a meeting

July 31 hearing for proposed wetland general permit

MADISON – A proposed general permit to streamline the wetland permitting process for some residential, commercial and industrial projects impacting wetlands is now out for public comment, and is the topic of a July 31 public informational hearing in Madison, state wetland officials say.

The informational hearing will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 041 at the State Education Building, also known as GEF 3, located at 125 S. Webster St. in Madison.

The proposed statewide general permit - or “GP” - is the first of its kind required under a new law passed earlier this year by state lawmakers. It would enable people who have a project resulting in the unavoidable filling of up to 10,000 square feet of wetland - just under one-quarter of an acre – to get their permit decision more quickly if the project meets the standards and conditions in the general permit.

Right now, all landowners wanting to pursue projects that involve wetland fill must seek an individual permit and lengthier environmental review.

The proposed general permit identifies the location, design, and construction standards and other conditions any project must meet to qualify for the general permit, and to ensure that minimal environmental effects occur. Once in effect, the general permit will be valid statewide for 5 years. When property owners can apply for coverage under the general permit, DNR is required to issue a decision within 30 days.

“This proposed general permit will simplify the permit process for projects that can’t avoid small amounts of wetland fill. By avoiding and minimizing wetland impacts, and designing their project to meet the GP standards and conditions, a property owner can qualify and get their permit decision within 30 days.” says Cami Peterson, Wetland Policy Coordinator.

Projects that involve more than 10,000 square feet of wetland fill or do not meet the GP standards and conditions will continue to require a wetland individual permit, which has a longer process time, greater level of environmental review, and higher permit fee.

To view a copy of the proposed statewide general permit and environmental decision document go to http://dnr.wi.gov/waterways/shoreline_habitat/wetlands.html. Public comments are being accepted through August 16. For more information or to submit written comments on the draft general permit or environmental decision document, contact Cami Peterson, DNR-WT/3, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921, or by phone at 608-261-6400.

2011 Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearing questionnaire available online

MADISON – The questionnaire package for the 2011 Department of Natural Resources Spring Fish and Wildlife Rules Hearing and Annual Conservation Congress County Meeting and the list of meeting locations is now available for review on the Department of Natural Resources website.

On Monday, April 11, there will be 72 public hearings, one in each Wisconsin county starting at 7 p.m. where individuals interested in natural resources management will have an opportunity to provide their input by non-binding vote and testimony to the Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Board and the Conservation Congress on proposed hunting and fishing rule changes and advisory questions. Printed copies of the questionnaire will be available after March 1.

The hearings, held annually, are combined with the county meetings during which residents can vote on and introduce their solutions to natural resources related issues.

The spring hearings cover three major areas: elections for county Conservation Congress delegates; proposed wildlife and fisheries rule changes that have been developed through previous Conservation Congress meetings; and Conservation Congress proposals for future rule development.

Among the wildlife rule proposals being considered are: eliminating the archery deer hunting season closure during the traditional November firearm season; allowing normal hunting hours for pheasants on weekends at stocked properties that otherwise close at 2 p.m.; establishing a September firearm and archery hunting season for elk that would run concurrently with the first 30 days of the archery deer hunting season that would be held after the elk population reaches 200 animals; extending each of the spring turkey hunting periods by two days; and allowing landowners, lessees or occupants of private land, or other people with their permission, to shoot a cougar that is in the act of killing, wounding or biting a domestic animal and require that the carcass of the cougar be turned over to the DNR.

Among the fisheries rule change proposals are: increasing the musky size limit on about 600 inland waters from 34 to 40 inches; increasing the minimum size limit from 15 to 18 inches and decreasing the daily bag limit from five to three fish in aggregate for walleye, sauger, and hybrids for most waters in 19 southern Wisconsin counties; requiring the use of “quick-strike” rigs when fishing with minnows 10 inches or longer as bait; and creating a continuous hook and line fishing season for cisco (lake herring), whitefish, and hybrids in the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters with a possession and daily bag limit of 10 in total and no size limit.

In addition to the department's rule proposals, there will be a wide variety of advisory questions that the Congress will be asking citizens to gauge public support on various natural resource issues.

During the Conservation Congress county meetings, county residents have the option to run for a seat on the Conservation Congress and to elect delegates from their county to represent their views regarding natural resources issues on the Conservation Congress, the citizen advisory body to the Natural Resources Board and the Department of Natural Resources. Also, individuals have the opportunity to bring forth new conservation issues of a statewide nature to the attention of the Conservation Congress through the citizen resolution process. Information about the process is also available on the Conservation Congress pages of the DNR Web site.

2011 Spring Hearing Information

SUBJECT: Congress Matters: Wisconsin Conservation Congress 20 II Spring Hearing Advisory Questions
FOR: –JANUARY -2011 - BOARD MEETING
TO BE PRESENTED BY: Rob Bohmann, Conservation Congress Vice-Chair

SUMMARY:
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress will present their 20 II advisory questions to the Natural Resources Board . The questions have been approved by the Congress Executive Council for inclusion on the Spring Hearing Questionnaire and will be used to gauge public opinion on an array of natural resources issues. The questions will be presented to the public for their input at the joint DNR Spring Hearings and Conservation Congress County Meetings held in each county of the state on Monday, April 11, 2011.

Click Here… to see 2011 Wisconsin Conservation Congress Advisory Questions

DNR Public Meeting - Green Bay Great Lakes Spotted Musky Management Plan

December 2 – DNR Fisheries Staff will present the Draft Green Bay Great Lakes Spotted Musky Management Plan from 6-8 p.m. in the Auditorium at the Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St., Green Bay. The purpose of the meeting is to review and get feedback on the draft management plan for the Green Bay muskellunge fishery and re-establishment program. The draft management plan identifies fisheries objectives, strategies and management recommendations to achieve the previously established goals for the fishery. For more information, please call David Rowe (920) 662-5480 or Mike Donofrio (715) 582-5050.

Green Bay Great Lakes Spotted Musky Management Plan Meeting

December 2 – DNR Fisheries Staff will present the Draft Green Bay Great Lakes Spotted Musky Management Plan from 6-8 p.m. in the Auditorium at the Brown County Central Library, 515 Pine St., Green Bay. The purpose of the meeting is to review and get feedback on the draft management plan for the Green Bay muskellunge fishery and re-establishment program. The draft management plan identifies fisheries objectives, strategies and management recommendations to achieve the previously established goals for the fishery. For more information, please call David Rowe (920) 662-5480 or Mike Donofrio (715) 582-5050.