Fishing license sales improve, but are still down

Minnesota's sluggish fishing license sales have improved a bit, but still are down 21 percent from last year, which DNR officials attribute to the poor spring weather. Sales had been off more than 25 percent. The agency has sold about 470,000 licenses, 126,000 fewer than at this time last year. Nonresident fishing license sales are down a comparable amount; the DNR has sold about 41,000 nonresident fishing license this spring, a decline of 11,000, or 21 percent, from last year. Meanwhile, walleye stamp sales are down even more. The DNR has sold around 12,000 of the voluntary $5 stamps, compared to 19,000 at this time last year, a drop of 37 percent. Money from the stamps is used for walleye stocking.