Post by Greenedog on May 13, 2009 7:35:36 GMT -5
PUBLIC MEETING ON PADDLEFISH FISHING PROPOSALS, MAY 20
The Natural Resources Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on proposed administrative rule changes related to paddlefish and fishing on the Ohio River, Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. local time (EDT). The site is Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area, 2310 East State Road 364 in Winslow, in Pike County.
The primary purpose of these rules, which were proposed by the Department of Natural Resources, are to protect paddlefish and prevent their overharvest. Paddlefish are long-lived, slow-maturing smooth-skinned fish with a long paddle-like snout that can reach sizes in excess of 100 pounds. They are highly mobile but their largest populations are in the Ohio River, which is the only Indiana location where commercial harvest is permitted.
In recent years, commercial demand for paddlefish has escalated because of the value of their eggs for the worldwide caviar market. A major undercover investigation in 2006-07 by Indiana Conservation Officers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed widespread violations by commercial operators seeking paddlefish eggs. This investigation led to the arrest of 22 individuals on more than 300 charges, including felonies.
The proposed rule changes were developed in cooperation with Kentucky and Illinois natural resource agencies, which also regulate Ohio River commercial fisheries. The shared goal is to protect and sustain healthy paddlefish populations in the Ohio that are capable of supporting regulated commercial harvest.
The proposed changes would establish a paddlefish minimum size limit and commercial season for taking paddlefish on the Ohio, limit commercial gill net and trammel net mesh sizes on the Ohio and establish standard methods for commercial fishermen to measure paddlefish and check them for the presence of eggs.
Sport-fishing proposals would prohibit the taking of paddlefish by sport-fishing methods throughout Indiana, prohibit snagging as a sport-fishing method on the Ohio, and modify Ohio River float (jug) fishing regulations.
These proposed rule changes were preliminarily adopted by the NRC and listed at www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm , immediately after the list of proposed deer-hunting changes. Click on "Paddlefish Rule Package."
E-mail public comments to the NRC at: nrcrules@nrc.IN.gov. Please include your name and city and state of residence. Comments can also be mailed to:
Natural Resources Commission
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Ave., Room N501
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2200
All comments must be submitted to the NRC no later than Monday, June 1. All comments sent to the NRC regarding these rule changes will be provided to NRC members and DNR staff and will be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and in a paper docket as part of the final report.
A copy of this public hearing report will be at www.IN.gov/nrc before final consideration by the NRC. The NRC will likely consider these rule changes for final adoption at its meeting in July. If approved by the attorney general and governor, the changes will become effective later in 2009.
Individuals who need reasonable modifications for effective participation in public meetings should call the DNR ADA coordinator at (317) 232-4200 (voice and TDD).
For more information, please contact Tom Stefanavage, the DNR's Big Rivers Biologist, at (812)789-2724 or by e-mail at: tstefanavage@dnr.IN.gov.
The Natural Resources Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on proposed administrative rule changes related to paddlefish and fishing on the Ohio River, Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. local time (EDT). The site is Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area, 2310 East State Road 364 in Winslow, in Pike County.
The primary purpose of these rules, which were proposed by the Department of Natural Resources, are to protect paddlefish and prevent their overharvest. Paddlefish are long-lived, slow-maturing smooth-skinned fish with a long paddle-like snout that can reach sizes in excess of 100 pounds. They are highly mobile but their largest populations are in the Ohio River, which is the only Indiana location where commercial harvest is permitted.
In recent years, commercial demand for paddlefish has escalated because of the value of their eggs for the worldwide caviar market. A major undercover investigation in 2006-07 by Indiana Conservation Officers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed widespread violations by commercial operators seeking paddlefish eggs. This investigation led to the arrest of 22 individuals on more than 300 charges, including felonies.
The proposed rule changes were developed in cooperation with Kentucky and Illinois natural resource agencies, which also regulate Ohio River commercial fisheries. The shared goal is to protect and sustain healthy paddlefish populations in the Ohio that are capable of supporting regulated commercial harvest.
The proposed changes would establish a paddlefish minimum size limit and commercial season for taking paddlefish on the Ohio, limit commercial gill net and trammel net mesh sizes on the Ohio and establish standard methods for commercial fishermen to measure paddlefish and check them for the presence of eggs.
Sport-fishing proposals would prohibit the taking of paddlefish by sport-fishing methods throughout Indiana, prohibit snagging as a sport-fishing method on the Ohio, and modify Ohio River float (jug) fishing regulations.
These proposed rule changes were preliminarily adopted by the NRC and listed at www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm , immediately after the list of proposed deer-hunting changes. Click on "Paddlefish Rule Package."
E-mail public comments to the NRC at: nrcrules@nrc.IN.gov. Please include your name and city and state of residence. Comments can also be mailed to:
Natural Resources Commission
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Ave., Room N501
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2200
All comments must be submitted to the NRC no later than Monday, June 1. All comments sent to the NRC regarding these rule changes will be provided to NRC members and DNR staff and will be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and in a paper docket as part of the final report.
A copy of this public hearing report will be at www.IN.gov/nrc before final consideration by the NRC. The NRC will likely consider these rule changes for final adoption at its meeting in July. If approved by the attorney general and governor, the changes will become effective later in 2009.
Individuals who need reasonable modifications for effective participation in public meetings should call the DNR ADA coordinator at (317) 232-4200 (voice and TDD).
For more information, please contact Tom Stefanavage, the DNR's Big Rivers Biologist, at (812)789-2724 or by e-mail at: tstefanavage@dnr.IN.gov.