Anglers encouraged to take questionnaire about bag, size limits on Mississippi River
LA CROSSE - Anglers who fish the Mississippi River between Prescott, Wis.,
and the Iowa border can take an online
questionnaire<http://bit.ly/MississippiRiverQuestionnaire> about what they
think about existing bag and size limits on that stretch of the river and
their reactions to potential regulation changes.
The online questionnaire is part of a multi-state review by Wisconsin and
Minnesota natural resources departments of size and bag limits on the
Mississippi River flowing between the two states. Many of the regulations
have not been revised in decades.
Find the questionnaire
here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQTBdVe7TFPTFPn12Wb1SEQ-k6_hb
ZjTj_cuymL3Q1BSos4g/viewform> and fill it out through July 31.
Jordan Weeks, Wisconsin DNR fisheries supervisor in La Crosse, said the
online questionnaire aims to give anglers more opportunities to provide
input as the two states review regulations. Earlier this spring, Minnesota
and Wisconsin natural resources departments held five public input meetings
to kick off the review.<https://dnr.wi.gov/news/Weekly/article/?id=4248>
"Fishing regulations along this stretch of the Mississippi River have been
the same for decades and it's time for a review," Weeks says. "We want to
hear from anglers on whether they are happy with the quality of fishing or
want changes to size and bag limits."
All gamefish species are being looked at, including sunfish, crappie,
largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, white bass, walleye, sauger,
catfish and yellow perch.
Input from the online questionnaires, the public meetings and other
fisheries data, may be used to develop recommendations for possible
regulation changes agreeable to both states. After that, each state would
have to go through its own official rule-making process, with additional
opportunities for public comment. The earliest any changes might go into
effect would be 2020, according to Kevin Stauffer, Lake City area fisheries
supervisor for the Minnesota DNR.