October NRC Preview: Fisheries orders still on deck, department to present on FY 22 budget, sandhill cranes

October NRC Preview: Fisheries orders still on deck, department to present on FY 22 budget, sandhill cranes

The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is expected to take action on a number of remaining fisheries orders that have received several proposed amendments from commissioners.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be providing presentations to the commission regarding the recently passed fiscal year 2022 budget, sandhill cranes, Saginaw bay walleye and preliminary elk season results.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 14 at the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory located 4125 Beaumont Road Lansing, Michigan 48901. Tune into MUCC’s Facebook page to watch the meeting live if you are unable to attend. An agenda for the day can be found here .

The bulk of the meeting is likely to be comprised of discussions surrounding a variety of fisheries orders that are before the commission. Items to garner the most discussion include steelhead bag limits and underwater spearfishing.

New Business

The following fisheries orders are up for being presented for the first time and will be available for action at the November meeting.

FO 202.22 – Special hook size regulations

FO 204.22 – Spawning closures

FO 206.22 – Special fishing regulations for warmwater species on select waters

Old Business

The following listed orders are up for old business with the ability to be passed by the commission at the October meeting. Several of these orders have proposed commissioner amendments which can be viewed through the linked agenda above, and it’s expected that some of the more contentious items will be held over until the November NRC meeting.

FO 200.22 – Inland rivers and streams – Trout and salmon regulations

FO 200.22 is expected to have an amendment from Commissioner Nyberg regarding a reduction in steelhead bag limits on select streams. MUCC will be providing an objective, informational document to educate our membership and fisheries committee on this topic and potential paths for advocacy moving forward.

FO 206.21 – Special fishing regulations for warmwater species on select waters

Commissioner Richardson has proposed an amendment to align the walleye size limit of 15 inches and a daily possession limit of 5 for Lake Gogebic. Richardson also proposed another amendment to the order for Lake Gogebic implementing no size limit on northern pike and allow for a daily possession limit of 5 with no more than one being greater than 24 inches.

FO 219.22 – Bow, spear and crossbow fishing regulations

This fisheries order would allow for lake trout, northern pike and walleye to be taken by underwater spearfishing in certain Great Lakes waters (rubber propelled, no scuba gear).

Commissioner Richardson proposed removing Lake Superior from the order. Commissioner Baird proposed a three-year sunset to the regulation. Lastly, Commissioner Rose proposed a delay in the proposed northern pike season for underwater spearfishing so that it would run from July 1 through March 15.

FO 252.22 – Statewide – Lake whitefish, round whitefish, cisco, rainbow smelt and arctic grayling regulations

Commissioner Richardson proposed an expansion to the combined daily possession limit for lake whitefish, round whitefish and cisco to allow for an additional 10 roundfish on Lake Superior waters.

There are other fisheries orders that could be acted on at the October NRC meeting. Please reference the agenda if you are interested in seeing the whole list of fisheries orders.

Land Transactions

There are several land transactions proposed and pending action before DNR Director Daniel Eichinger that can be viewed using the agenda linked above.

MUCC carefully reviews every proposed land transaction of the DNR and ensures no net loss of hunting land in conjunction with assessing the disposition of any parcels above 80 acres.

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