September NRC Meeting Recap

All orders up for action at the Thursday 9/12 Natural Resources Commission meeting passed unanimously.

1. Fisheries Order 200.25 Trout and Salmon regulations. This order clarifies a few boundaries, and amends steelhead size limits for a number of streams. This change is to make the steelhead regulations less complex but follow the spirit of the commissions 2023 change.
   1. Commissioner Cozad made an amendment to change the minimum size limit of Rainbow Trout on the Pere Marquette River from 8 inches to 10 inches from the last Saturday in April to August 31. This change will be in Lake County from the Downstream Edge of the Boat Ramp/Slide at Gleason’s Landing to the Upstream Edge of the Boat Ramp at Rainbow Rapids – 10.5 miles.
2. Fisheries Order 210.25 Amendments to add the Clam River and Rio Grande Creek and tributaries to the order for greater protection. Also moved the White River trout stream boundary upstream to allow bow and spearing gear in warmer waters where trout are not present.
3. Fisheries Order 224.25 allows unlicensed/unpermitted individuals to temporarily possess snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, salamanders, and turtles for the purpose of non-lethally relocating them from unwanted locations on private property. Adds blowgun to the list of gear which is not lawful for harvesting snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, salamanders, and turtles for clarity. Lastly, the Eastern massassauga rattlesnake, wood turtle, and Eastern box turtle have been moved from provision 1. to provision 2 for more harvest protection.
4. Fisheries Order 254.24 Removal of Lime Lake from Type C regulations back to general statewide regulations due to lack of a trout fishery.
5. WCO no. 8 of 2024 – Changing language to mentored hunting program from mentored youth hunting program

The Director also signed a letter of authorization implementing a $5 antlerless deer license for the extended late antlerless firearm deer season. The sales date will be December 1 to the second Sunday in January and will be valid from January 2 to the second Sunday in January.

Up for Information were a handful of other Fisheries orders including regulations relating to Whitefish, Sturgeon, warm water species. Also two WCO’s regarding the Canada Goose Management Program and the Windsor Township State Game Area.

View more on the orders up for information on our NRC recap.