DNR Invites Public to Review Muskellunge in Michigan, Brook Trout Possession Limits for the UP, and Northern Pike in Michigan
Links to online surveys provided
Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7:00 am
By: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Division is asking for public input on 3 topics:
- The management of muskellunge in Michigan.
- Potential changes to brook trout daily possession limits for Upper Peninsula streams.
- The management of northern pike in Michigan.
The Management of Muskellunge in Michigan
Over the past year, Fisheries Division has been working with the Warmwater Resources Committee, a public advisory group, to discuss muskellunge regulations and to review muskellunge regulation proposals submitted by angling organizations. As a result, several regulation options have been developed. The regulation options are a compromise agreed upon between Fisheries Division and the Warmwater Resources Committee.
Public review is being sought to determine which regulation anglers think should be accepted to manage muskellunge populations in Michigan. Four regulation options have been proposed with a combination of season, size limit and possession limits:
- Maintain the current fishing regulations for muskellunge.
- Change the harvest season and allow for a few waters currently managed with the 42-inch minimum size limit to be managed with either a lower or higher minimum size limit.
- Change the harvest season, reduce the possession limit to one (1) fish per season (with a harvest tag), and allow for a few waters currently managed with the 42-inch minimum size limit to be managed with either a lower or higher size limit.
- Change the harvest season, keep the possession limit the same, and increase the minimum size limit for most waters, but allow for a few waters to be managed with a lower size limit.
The public is being asked to review these regulation options through an online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/
Potential Changes to Brook Trout Daily Possession Limits for Upper Peninsula Streams
The brook trout is native to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and some parts of the Lower Peninsula and is the official state fish. Since the early 1900s, Fisheries Division has used a combination of stocking, habitat improvements and fishing regulations to protect and enhance brook trout fishing opportunities. One of the tools that fisheries managers have used to protect and rehabilitate brook trout populations is possession limits.
Since 2001, anglers have asked Fisheries Division to consider returning the brook trout possession limit to 10 fish on Upper Peninsula streams. Because of these consistent requests, Fisheries Division staff evaluated the potential biological consequences of increasing the brook trout daily possession limit from five to 10 fish.
To maintain fishing regulations that optimize anglers’ enjoyment of our aquatic resources in Michigan, Fisheries Division needs accurate information regarding angler behavior and preferences. Therefore, the Division is requesting public input regarding brook trout daily possession limits on Upper Peninsula streams. Two regulation options have been proposed:
- Maintain the existing daily possession limit of five (5) fish, but no more than three (3) trout 15 inches or greater.
- Change the daily possession limit to five (5) fish, plus an additional five (5) brook trout, but no more than three (3) trout 15 inches or greater.
Please note that under this proposal, the daily possession limit would not change for gear restricted streams that currently have possession limits that differ from those in Types 1-4 regulated trout streams. To read more about the brook trout regulation review, please visit www.michigan.gov/fishing.
The public is being asked to comment on regulation options through an online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/
The Management of Northern Pike in Michigan
In 2007, Fisheries Division charged an internal committee with developing a northern pike management plan. This plan was provided to the public for comment in 2009 and again in 2010, during which time many anglers provided comments on the need for regulation review. Anglers indicated they were supportive of a group of regulation options designed to maintain the current minimum size limit, to provide harvest on waters where appropriate, and to restrict harvest on some waters where the regulation would be designed to increase angler catches and increase the opportunity to catch larger fish.
Fisheries Division has been working with the Warmwater Resources Committee, a public advisory group, to review northern pike regulation proposals provided by organized angling groups. The regulation options are a compromise agreed upon between Fisheries Division and the Warmwater Resources Committee.
Public review is being sought to determine whether anglers think these regulation options are acceptable to manage northern pike populations in Michigan. Three regulation options have been proposed to be moved forward for public comment:
- Minimum size limit of 24 inches with a possession limit of two (2) fish.
- No minimum size limit with a possession limit of five (5) fish where only one (1) may be greater than 24 inches.
- Protected slot limit between 24 and 34 inches and a possession limit of two (2) fish.
The public is being asked to review these regulation options through an online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/
To read more about the northern pike regulation review, please visit www.michigan.gov/fishing.
About The Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
