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North Dakota and Minnesota officials are considering a spring conservation season to standardize the fishing season and creel limits for angling on the Red River of the North, the border between the two states. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the North Dakota Game and Fish Departments have scheduled a series of public meetings to gather comments on proposed regulation changes.
During the past year, both states have reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of a year-around fishing season that would provide greater recreational angling. To address concerns of potential over harvest, the proposed season would run from March 1 to the first Saturday in May on the Red River^s main stem.
During the proposed conservation season, the daily creel limits would be reduced for some species:
Walleye and sauger, or a combination, would be reduced to two fish, with no fish longer than 18 inches allowed in possession. After the first Saturday in May, daily creel limit for walleye or sauger would increase to five, with no length restrictions.
Northern pike would be three per day, with no fish over 27 inches allowed. The rest of the year, no length limit would apply but the creel limit would remain at three.
Channel catfish fishing would be allowed year around with no change to current summer regulations on the Red River and its tributaries.
Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, or a combination of the two species, would be three year around.
Muskellunge season would be year around with a daily limit of one and a minimum length of 40 inches.
The proposed regulations could be in place for the 2000 fishing season, with a proposed evaluation period of four years. After that time, the regulations could be modified based on information such as angler use, fish catch rates, harvest rates of fish, and angler demographics from year-long angler surveys planned for 2000 and 2001, and fisheries surveys of the river^s fish population.
Fisheries staff from the North Dakota and Minnesota will host three open-house public meetings in East Grand Forks and Breckenridge, Minnesota, and Fargo, North Dakota.
Meeting Locations:
Tuesday, Aug. 17 - Grand Forks Herald Community Room, 375 2nd Ave. N., Grand Forks, ND
Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Expressway Inn, I-94 & Hwy. 81, Exit 351, Fargo, ND
Thursday, Aug. 19 - Breckenridge Senior Citizens Center, 225 5th St. S., Breckenridge, MN.
For all meetings, doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for those that wish to review information prior to the meeting. A short presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m. with small group and individual input to follow until 8:30 p.m.
Interested anglers who are unable to attend the discussion meetings may submit comments or queries on the proposal to either agency at the following addresses and phone numbers (comments will be accepted through September 19): Henry Drewes, Minnesota DNR, 2115 Birchmont Beach Road NE, Bemidji, MN, (218) 755-3621; or Lynn Schlueter, North Dakota Game & Fish, 7928 45th St. NE, Devils Lake, ND, 58301-8501, (701) 662-3617.
Uploaded: 8/13/1999
Uploaded: 8/13/1999