Accessibility
For the hearing or visually impaired, non-English speakers, or those with other personal circumstances which might make communication at the meeting/hearing difficult, DNR will, to the maximum extent possible and with reasonable advance notice, provide aids including an interpreter, or a non-English, large-print, or recorded version of hearing documents. To access these resources, please contact the email address or phone number listed below as soon as possible.
Appearances at the Hearing and Submittal of Written Comments
Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before February 14, 2022. Written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail, E-mail, or through the internet and will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearing.
Written comments and any questions on the proposed rules should be submitted to:
Department of Natural Resources
Attn: Meredith Penthorn
P.O. Box 7921
101 S. Webster Street,
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis:
This rule would not impose any different impacts beyond those resulting from emergency rule FH-28-20 (E). These rules, in combination, are likely to provide an economic benefit to small commercial fishing businesses that target whitefish in Green Bay due to the continuation of the quota increase in Green Bay, and, by extension, the businesses that purchase whitefish or their parts to sell to consumers. The exact amount that each commercial fisher may gain in the short-term and long-term due to the increased quota is unknown since the quota increase has been in place for less than one year. Currently, nine commercial fishing licensees actively fish for whitefish in Green Bay, and additional commercial fishers may be able to purchase quota in Green Bay to be able to fish, thereby benefitting from this increase.
However, since commercial fishers would be required to utilize the electronic fish harvest reporting system to report whitefish and bycatch catch, this rule may have a very minimal impact on some fishers. While some commercial fishers already possess a phone or computer to enter the harvest reports, others may not own such technology and would either have to purchase it or ask someone else to assist in entering the information. Two licensees that fish for whitefish in Green Bay may or may not have an electronic device such as a computer or smartphone to report electronically, and four licensees transfer whitefish quota to other fishers, so the recipients of the quota may or may not have an electronic device. Assuming $120 per year as the cost for a basic, inexpensive smartphone with a limited data plan, the estimated total cost to commercial fishers without electronic devices is $720 or less.
The rule will not directly impact sport fishing businesses, but sport fishing businesses and anglers may have a perception of increased user conflict due to additional commercial fishing effort in Green Bay. Since the Green Bay fishery is a shared fishery between sport and commercial fishers, close monitoring of the impacts of the increased Zone 1 quota through this rule will be important for ensuring that the welfare of sport fishing businesses is also protected.
The proposed rule would not contain any design or operational standards for commercial fishers.
Agency Small Business Regulatory Coordinator:
Emma Esch (608) 266-1959
