DNR weighs 4-walleye limit statewide

That shore lunch would not stretch quite as far under a lower statewide walleye bag limit being floated by the Department of Natural Resources.

But another proposal, this one put forth by a state legislator, would get the fishing season started a week earlier, avoiding conflicts with Mother's Day.

"We are proposing a four-fish statewide limit," DNR commissioner Mark Holsten said Thursday. "It would simplify the rules and conserve some fish."

There currently are many exceptions to the six-fish statewide limit. For example, Mille Lacs, Winnibigoshish, Leech and Vermilion lakes all have four-fish limits to protect the walleye fisheries on those large and popular waters. Red Lake has a two-walleye limit.

Going to a statewide bag limit would simplify things for anglers and DNR conservation officers charged with enforcement, Holsten said.

But he acknowledged some anglers likely wouldn't be happy. "There will be a considerable amount of griping if we go to four," he said.

Reducing the limit likely would reduce the overall walleye harvest, but it's unclear by how much. Previous DNR studies have indicated that such a bag-limit reduction would have a relatively minor impact on the fisheries.

The DNR plans to discuss the proposal at its annual meeting with constituents next month in St. Cloud. The agency will seek legislative action that would allow it to speed up its rule-making process, Holsten said, so the four-walleye limit could go into effect in 2009. Otherwise, it would take longer.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, pushed the earlier date for the opener in a letter to Holsten.

"The benefits of this change include bringing the fishing opener to a date consistent with border lakes and border states, benefit resort activities, and reduce conflicts with Mother's Day," he said.

The opener generally occurs after fish have spawned. Chaudhary said recent climate changes have led fish to spawn earlier, so an earlier opener should have minimal effect on fisheries.

Holsten said the DNR has no position on the issue. State law dictates when the season opens, so the Legislature would have to make any change. The issue has come up at the Legislature over the years, he said.

"They'll have to weigh the economic, biological and social issues," he said.

State law requires the fishing season to open two Saturdays before Memorial Day weekend. Between 1990 and 2007, 13 openers clashed with Mother's Day. That will be the case again in 2008 and 2009.