What do you think about experimental fishing regulations?

Special and experimental fishing regulations for walleye, bass, crappie, sunfish, northern pike and lake sturgeon will be the subject of nine public meetings that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will conduct across the state in the coming weeks.

The DNR will use Input gathered at these meetings to help determine whether to extend, modify or drop two existing experimental regulations and move forward with nine proposals for new special regulations. Also, the department will review a proposal to modify the existing angling season and minimum length requirement for lake sturgeon on Lake St. Croix and the St. Croix River in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“Fisheries managers welcome the opportunity to hear opinions from anglers,” said Al Stevens, DNR fisheries program consultant. “Public participation is critical in determining whether proposed and existing regulations are meeting angler expectations.”

Special and experimental regulations are intended to produce a quality fish population that can sustain increasing angling pressure and improved angler efficiency. During the past 20 years, fisheries managers have monitored a variety of regulations across Minnesota. Lakes with special or experimental regulations are regularly evaluated to determine the effectiveness of special regulations. Currently, there are special or experimental regulations in effect on about 7 percent of Minnesota’s fishable lakes.

“Much has been learned from our efforts to improve fish populations with length and bag limits,” Stevens said. “If successful, special or experimental regulations can be replicated on similar waters where fisheries managers and anglers agree they would help improve or maintain quality fishing.”

Lakes with proposed new special regulations or regulations that will be evaluated this year were posted at public access points this spring.