MUCC Supported Commercial Fishing Legislation Introduced in Michigan House

MUCC Supported Commercial Fishing Legislation Introduced in Michigan House

On March 6, Rep. Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw) introduced a stakeholder-backed modernization of Michigan’s commercial fishing statute.  House Bill 5553, written over the past several months in partnership with MUCC, would modernize archaic regulations in the state’s commercial fishing statute, and keep gamefish out of commercial nets. Michigan’s commercial fishing statute is decades old and an…

Read More

HB 5108 introduced, puts Michigan’s fishing heritage at risk

Michigan's fishing heritage is at risk.

MICHIGAN’S SPORTFISHING HERITAGE IS AT RISK New legislation dropped today in the Michigan House would put Michigan’s $2.3 billion dollar annual recreational angling industry and our fishing heritage at risk. HB 5108, sponsored by Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor), would allow for the state-licensed commercial take of game fish, including lake trout, smallmouth, panfish, walleye,…

Read More

Great Lakes Consent Decree negotiations tangled up

Coalition to Protect Michigan's Resources will appeal adoption of Great Lakes Consent Decree

Recent court filings by a conservation coalition, tribes and others embroiled in fishery negotiations show how far the three-year process still has to go.  An existing Great Lakes Consent Decree signed in 2000 governs fishing regulations in certain waters of lakes Michigan and Huron from Grand Haven north around the tip of the mitt to…

Read More

NRC Passes 2021 Deer Regulations

A smaller Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) passed new rules for the 2021 deer hunting season Thursday, including changes to antlerless deer tags and archery hunting rules. Given the ongoing issues related to COVID-19, the NRC met virtually using an online platform to consider a full agenda. These deer regulations as proposed by the Department…

Read More

Action Alert: Call your senator urging them to support commercial fishing legislation

Current statutes and administrative rules regarding the licensing and regulation of commercial fishers in Michigan are decades old and do not sufficiently protect game fish from commercial impacts. Further, MDNR conservation officers are unable to adequately protect the fisheries from exploitation and illegal activity due to the outdated statute. House Bills 4567, 68 and 69…

Read More

Commercial Fishing Legislation Brought Up in Senate Committee

The Michigan Senate Committee on Natural Resources heard its third round of testimony on House Bills 4567, 4568 and 4569 Wednesday. The three bills seek to protect game fish and update rules that have not been changed since 1971 for state-licensed, Great Lakes commercial fishers. The tie-barred, three-bill package would update decades-old statute by keeping…

Read More

Game fish, recreational anglers win: House Bills 4567-4569 pass House

Game fish are one step closer to swimming away from commercial nets as the Michigan House of Representatives voted to pass House Bills 4567, 4568 and 4569 on Thursday. The tie-barred, three-bill package aims to codify decades-old statute, keep game fish out of commercial nets, establish penalties for the illegal sale of game fish, require…

Read More

Pair of bills would allow commercial harvest of game fish including lake trout, yellow perch, walleye

On June 20, Sen. Kevin Daley (R-Lum) introduced SB 389. This Senate bill removes certain authorities of the Department of Natural Resources to regulate the commercial fishing industry and allows the bycatch of game fish. Last week, Rep. Sara Cambensy (D-Marquette) introduced HB 4790 which is a companion bill in the House. MUCC and its partners oppose…

Read More