The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation last week announced the release of proposed changes to coolwater sportfish regulations.<\/p>\n
DEC said the changes will help protect spawning fish, increase the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario\u2019s eastern basin, and eliminate unnecessary special regulations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe proposed regulation changes for walleye, pike, pickerel, and tiger musky reflect DEC\u2019s commitment to adaptively manage New York\u2019s fisheries resources and to simplify regulations wherever possible,\u201d said Commissioner Amanda Lefton. \u201cWe encourage the public to review the proposal and provide feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n
Highlights of the proposed regulations include:Changing the closing date for walleye, northern pike, chain pickerel, and tiger muskie from March 15 to March 1 for both statewide and special regulations;\u00a0Changing the start date of fishing-prohibited regulations to protect spawning walleye on sections of select streams from March 16 to March 2;\u00a0Eliminating unnecessary special harvest regulations for walleye in 33 waters; \u00a0Changing the size limit and daily creel limit for walleye in Jefferson County waters of Lake Ontario to two fish per day with no more than one longer than 24 inches.<\/p>\n
DEC said the proposed regulations address the concerns of fisheries managers and anglers about protecting spawning walleye and northern pike as a warming climate changes water temperatures and shifts spawning times earlier in the year. <\/p>\n
Establishing an earlier fishing season closure will help ensure that spawning aggregations of these species are protected.<\/p>\n
There are also several walleye waters currently managed under special harvest regulation (18-inch minimum size limit, three-per-day possession limit) to help establish, restore, or improve walleye fisheries. <\/p>\n
A subset of those waters does not meet that objective and the draft regulations propose to convert back to statewide regulations and a 15-inch minimum size, five-per-day possession limit.<\/p>\n
In addition, the walleye fishery in Lake Ontario\u2019s eastern basin (Jefferson County) has declined, and DEC is proposing a more protective harvest regulation intended to increase spawning stock biomass and increase the capacity for natural reproduction.<\/p>\n