NR 19.025(2)(d)
(d) “Novice participant" for fishing means any person who is 5 years of age or older who has less than 2 years of fishing experience.
NR 19.025(2)(e)
(e) “Substantial loss of revenue" means a loss of fishing, trapping and hunting license fees from persons who are not novice participants.
NR 19.025(3)
(3) General; conditions, limitations and restrictions. NR 19.025(3)(a)(a) An applicant shall submit a request for a waiver at least 30 days prior to a hunting or trapping educational outdoor skills activity and 15 days before a fishing educational outdoor skills activity. The department may waive the 15 day period for fishing educational outdoor skills activities when the department determines it is not required to conduct criminal history, character or background checks. All applications shall be submitted on forms provided by the department.
NR 19.025(3)(b)
(b) A written course outline shall be submitted along with the request for waiver for approval by the department.
NR 19.025(3)(c)
(c) There shall be a minimum of 4 hours of classroom and field instruction prior to the hunting or fishing educational outdoor skills activity.
NR 19.025(3)(dm)
(dm) If there are more novice participant applicants for a specific educational outdoor skills activity event or location than the department or applicant sponsoring the educational outdoor skills activity is able to accommodate, the department may select which of the novice participant applicants will be allowed to participate. When making this selection, the department shall give preference to those novice participant applicants who have had the least previous exposure, as determined by the department, to that recreational activity or the least opportunity to accompany others and learn about that recreational activity.
NR 19.025(3)(e)
(e) Where applicable, written authorization from the host landowner shall be obtained and submitted with the application. It shall include the legal description of the lands on which the educational outdoor skills activity will be conducted. If department lands are to be used, the written approval of the property manager shall be obtained.
NR 19.025(3)(f)
(f) Unless otherwise approved, the novice participants and mentors participating in the educational outdoor skills activity shall comply with all natural resource rules and regulations.
NR 19.025(3)(g)
(g) Waivers may not be issued that allow for the shooting of wild animals or the catching of fish by a mentor or instructor.
NR 19.025(3)(h)
(h) Novice participants may not be charged a fee which exceeds the costs of materials used in the course, equipment rental, meals and overnight accommodations.
NR 19.025(3)(i)
(i) Upon receipt of information indicating prior illegal activity relevant to a mentor's ability to properly assist or instruct novice participants, the department may make appropriate inquiry into criminal history, character and background of mentoring applicants and determine their suitability for the proposed educational outdoor skills activity.
NR 19.025(3)(j)
(j) One of the mentors shall carry the department approved waiver with list of participants during the educational recreational activity.
NR 19.025(3)(k)
(k) Waivers under this section shall only apply to novice participants.
NR 19.025(3)(L)
(L) The waiver of the approval and applicable fees will not result in a substantial loss of revenue to the department.
NR 19.025 Note
Note: Applications may be obtained from any department office.
NR 19.025(4)
(4) Special hunting conditions, limitations and restrictions. NR 19.025(4)(a)(a) During the field portion of the hunting activity a mentor shall accompany a novice participant.
NR 19.025(4)(b)
(b) During hunting skills field activities the area shall be posted with a sign advising of the activity.
NR 19.025(4)(c)
(c) At least one mentor shall be a certified hunter education instructor.
NR 19.025(4)(d)
(d) Mentors shall have at least 5 years of hunting experience.
NR 19.025(5)
(5) Special fishing conditions, limitations and restrictions. NR 19.025(5)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b) or if exempt from the requirement to possess a fishing approval under s.
29.197 (3) or
29.219 (1), Stats., the applicant, instructors and mentors shall possess a valid fishing approval.
NR 19.025(5)(b)
(b) Non-licensed mentors may be involved with assisting but will need approvals if they take part in the actual fishing activity unless they are enrolled as a novice participant.
NR 19.025(6)
(6) State parks. Waivers may be issued that allow the following activities in state parks:
NR 19.025(7)
(7) Exemptions. This section does not apply to special hunting events established under s.
NR 10.01.
NR 19.025 History
History: Cr.
Register, July, 1997, No. 499, eff. 8-1-97;
CR 06-012: am. (2) (d)
Register December 2006 No. 612, eff. 2-1-07;
CR 09-018: am. (3) (a) and (5) (a)
Register February 2010 No. 650, eff. 3-1-10;
CR 09-024: am. (2) (b), (d) and (e)
Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10;
CR 10-020: am. (2) (d), cr. (3) (dm)
Register October 2010 No. 658, eff. 2-1-11;
CR 13-108: am. (6) (c)
Register August 2014 No. 704, eff. 9-1-14;
CR 17-013: am. (2) (d), r. (3) (d),
Register February 2018 No. 746 eff. 3-1-18;
CR 21-058: am. (title), (1), (3) (a), (c), (dm), (e), (f), (i), (5) (a)
Register March 2022 No. 795, eff. 4-1-22.
NR 19.03
NR 19.03
Control of muskrats on cranberry marshes. NR 19.03(1)(1)
The owner or lessee of any improved cranberry marsh area shall comply with s.
29.885, Stats.
NR 19.03(3)
(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person or persons who own or are interested in a cranberry marsh situated in the same area wherein said owners are the licensees of a muskrat farm or in which such person or persons have an interest.
NR 19.03(4)
(4) The department or its authorized agents may assist any owner or operator of improved cranberry marsh areas with the removal of muskrats from areas that have been damaged, or are being damaged by such muskrats, wherein they believe that the muskrats can be taken alive and removed to other localities deemed advisable by the department.
NR 19.03(5)
(5) Any such cranberry marsh areas where muskrats are being controlled as provided in this section shall be open to the inspection of the department or its authorized agents at any time.
NR 19.03 History
History: 1-2-56; r. (2),
Register, August, 1966, No. 128, eff. 9-1-66; renum. from WCD 19.03 to be NR 19.03, and am. (1), (4) and (5),
Register, April, 1971, No. 184, eff. 5-1-71; r. and recr. (1),
Register, August, 1979, No. 284, eff. 9-1-79.
NR 19.05
NR 19.05
Release, importation and transportation of fish. NR 19.05(1)(1)
No person, persons, firm or corporation may bring into the state to introduce or release or cause to be introduced or released in any manner into the inland or outlying waters any fish or the eggs or spawn thereof, without first applying for in writing and receiving a written permit from the department or its duly authorized agents. The permit shall be granted only after the department or its agents investigates and inspects the fish or the eggs or spawn thereof as it deems necessary to determine that the introduction or release will not be detrimental in any manner to the conservation of the natural resources of the state. Inspection may include removal of reasonable samples of fish and eggs for biological examination. The responsibility of licensees holding private fish hatchery licenses is stated in ss.
29.735 and
29.736, Stats.
NR 19.05(2)
(2) Permits to import fish or eggs of the family Salmonidae (trout, char, salmon) shall be issued at no charge to a person who has applied on a special form furnished by the department. Such permit will be issued only if the immediate source of fish or eggs is certified free of infectious hematopoietic necrosis, viral hemorrhagic septicaemia, whirling disease, enteric redmouth and Ceratomyxa shasta, except that eggs from wild stocks do not have to be certified free of whirling disease. Certification shall be made in the state of origin and may be accomplished only by biologists recognized by the department as competent in diagnosis of fish diseases. For informational purposes the source of fish or eggs will also be inspected for infectious pancreatic necrosis, kidney disease and bacterial furunculosis. Inspecting biologists will submit a written inspection report to the department. A copy of the importation permit must accompany each shipment of fish or eggs.
NR 19.05(3)
(3) No person may transport live fish or live fish eggs away from any inland or outlying water or its bank or shore, except:
NR 19.05(3)(a)
(a) Live fish or live fish eggs being transported out of state in compliance with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's regulations and orders.
NR 19.05(3)(b)
(b) Live fish or live fish eggs that have been tested for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia using methods approved by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and that were found to be free of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus.
NR 19.05(3)(c)
(c) Live fish or live fish eggs being transported with the prior written approval of the department, where the department has determined that the proposed activity will not allow Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus to be transported to other waters.
NR 19.05(3)(d)
(d) Live minnows being transported away from the water where they were taken by a bait dealer who harvested the minnows in compliance with a wild bait harvest permit issued under s.
NR 19.057.
NR 19.05(3)(e)
(e) Live minnows that were obtained from a Wisconsin bait dealer and subsequently possessed by the person while on an inland or outlying water, its bank or shore, if the minnows have not been exposed to water or fish from that inland or outlying water.
NR 19.05(3)(f)
(f) Live minnows that were obtained from a Wisconsin bait dealer and subsequently possessed by the person while on an inland or outlying water, its bank or shore, if the minnows will be used for bait only on the same inland or outlying water, its bank or shore.
NR 19.05(4)
(4) Except as authorized under permits pursuant to ch.
NR 40 and
50 CFR 16.22, no person may transport Asian carp over land within or through Wisconsin unless the Asian carp have been eviscerated or the gills plate completely severed so that the fish cannot be revived under any circumstances.
NR 19.05 History
History: 1-2-56; am. (2),
Register, October, 1969, No. 166, eff. 1-1-70; renum. from WCD 19.05 to be NR 19.05, and am. (1), (2) and (3),
Register, April, 1971, No. 184, eff. 5-1-71; r. and recr.
Register, August, 1977, No. 260, eff. 9-1-77;
CR 03-030: am. (1)
Register October 2003 No. 574, eff. 11-1-03; emerg. am. (title), cr. (3), eff. 11-2-07;
EmR0808: emerg. cr. (3) (e) and (f), eff. 4-4-08;
CR 07-074: am. (title), cr. (3)
Register May 2008 No. 629, eff. 6-1-08;
CR 15-023: cr. (4)
Register December 2015 No. 720, eff. 1-1-16.
NR 19.055
NR 19.055
Drainage of water from boats and equipment required. NR 19.055(1)(1)
Except as provided in subs.
(3) to
(5), any person who removes a boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment from any inland or outlying water or its bank or shore shall drain all water from the boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment, including water in any bilge, ballast tank, bait bucket, live well or other container immediately after removing the boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment from the water, bank or shore.
NR 19.055(2)
(2) Except as provided in subs.
(3) and
(4), no person may transport over land from another state any boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment for use on any water of the state or its bank or shore unless the person drains all water from the boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment, including water in any bilge, ballast tank, bait bucket, live well or other container before entering the state.
NR 19.055(3)
(3) The department may exempt any boat, boat trailer, boating equipment or fishing equipment in writing from sub.
(1) or
(2) if it determines that it will not allow Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus to be transported to other waters.
NR 19.055(4)
(4) Subsections
(1) and
(2) do not apply to tanks or containers of potable drinking water or other beverages meant for human consumption.
NR 19.055(5)
(5) Subsection
(1) does not apply to water in a container that holds live bait minnows obtained from a Wisconsin bait dealer, if the container holds no other fish, contains 2 gallons or less of water, and is used to transport only live minnows that have not been exposed to water or fish from that inland or outlying water or will be used for bait only on the same inland or outlying water, its bank or shore.
NR 19.055 History
History: Emerg. cr. eff. 11-2-07;
EmR0808: emerg. cr. (5), eff. 4-4-08;
CR 07-074: cr.
Register May 2008 No. 629, eff. 6-1-08.
NR 19.057
NR 19.057
Bait dealer's wild harvest permit required; criteria; records required. NR 19.057(1)(1)
No bait dealer may take minnows for use as bait from any inland or outlying water unless the bait dealer possesses a wild harvest permit issued by the department under this section and the bait dealer complies with all terms and conditions of the wild harvest permit. A bait dealer shall apply for a permit in the form specified by the department. Applications may be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the proposed starting date of harvesting. The department shall act on a complete permit application within 10 business days after receipt, based on the criteria in sub.
(2). Except as provided in sub.
(5), permits shall be valid for the dates specified on the permit to December 31 of each year, and shall require compliance with all minnow collecting requirements. A complete application shall include the applicant's name, street address, bait dealer's license number if any, the specific water body where bait will be harvested, the town, range and section where bait will be harvested, the species of bait that will be harvested, the maximum quantity of bait expected to be harvested, and any other information required on the application form.
NR 19.057 Note
Note: See s.
NR 20.14 for general minnow collecting restrictions, s.
NR 20.20 for county and statewide restrictions on waters, authorized methods, open seasons, size limits, bag limits and other restrictions, and s.
NR 20.39 for permits authorizing the use of non-standard minnow gear on inland waters.
NR 19.057(1m)
(1m) The permit holder may apply to the department, on the forms designated by the department, to request amendments to a wild harvest permit to modify the species targeted, waters fished, or harvest gear to be used. The permit holder shall submit the amendment request no later than 30 days prior to the desired effective date of the amendment. The permit holder may not submit more than 10 amendment requests each year.
NR 19.057 Note
Note: The amendment request form is available at
https://dnr.wi.gov, search “bait harvest.”
NR 19.057(2)
(2) The department shall grant an application for a wild harvest permit under this section if it determines that all of the following criteria are met, but the department may set specific conditions in permits or deny applications when necessary to ensure compliance with this section and prevent or control the spread of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus or other invasive species:
NR 19.057(2)(a)
(a) The applicant is a bait dealer who holds a bait dealer's license or is exempt under s.
29.509 (3), Stats., from the requirement to hold a bait dealer's license.
NR 19.057(2)(b)
(b) Minnows may not be taken from Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay, or any bay, slough or backwater of these waters, or any water connected to these waters, upstream to the first dam or other obstruction impassible to fish, or from any other waters where the department has reason to believe that the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus may be present, or where other invasive species may be present.
NR 19.057(2)(c)
(c) Minnow gear and harvest and transport equipment shall be disinfected after use to prevent the spread of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus and other invasive species.
NR 19.057(2)(d)
(d) Minnows taken from inland or outlying waters may not be given, sold or bartered to another person unless applicable fish health requirements specified by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection in ch.
ATCP 10 have been met.
NR 19.057(2m)
(2m) The department may, at any time, revoke or modify a permit issued under this section if it determines that the requirements, terms, or conditions of the permit are not being met, followed, or adhered to, or to ensure compliance with this section, or to prevent or control the spread of the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus or other invasive species. A permit revocation or modification shall become effective upon department notification by email or 3 business days after the permit holder receives the notification by mail at the address shown on the permit, whichever occurs first.
NR 19.057(3)(a)(a) Each permit holder or the permit holder's employee shall maintain a clear, legible daily record in the English language on department forms of all minnow harvest activities conducted under the permit which the department requires to be reported, which may include setting, tending, moving, or removing minnow harvest gear, or the removal of minnows from harvest gear, from any inland or outlying water. The record shall include the water body of origin, the latitude and longitude or nearest road crossing where harvested, the species harvested, the date of harvest, the gear type and amount used, the weight or volume of each species harvested by waterbody for all gear lifts conducted during that day's trip to the waterbody, the disposition of the minnows, except that retail sales to consumers need not be recorded, the signature of the permit holder, and any other information required on the record form.
NR 19.057(3)(b)
(b) The permit holder shall ensure that all information required under par.
(a), except for the disposition of the minnows, is accurately recorded at the time that the permit holder or the permit holder's employee sets, tends, lifts, moves, or removes the gear in the waterbody and empties the gear of fish and before the permit holder or permit holder's employee leaves the site where the minnows were loaded for transport. The permit holder or employee shall record the final disposition of the minnows to sources other than retail sales to final consumers at the time of disposition.
NR 19.057(3)(c)
(c) The permit holder or the permit holder's employee shall submit a report of all daily records recorded under pars.
(a) and
(b) no later than the 10th day of the month following the month of harvest in the form specified by the department. After December 31, 2027, the permit holder or the permit holder's employee shall submit the report forms electronically to an electronic reporting system designated by the department by 11:59 p.m. the day the minnows are removed from the harvest gear.
NR 19.057(3)(d)
(d) The permit holder shall maintain all records required under this subsection for no less than 2 years after the expiration of the permit and shall make the records available to a department representative for inspection upon request at all reasonable hours.
NR 19.057(4)
(4) No bait dealer may possess farm-raised fish while engaged in the harvest of wild bait, or while transporting wild harvested bait from the water where it was harvested to the bait dealer's business location or from the water where it was harvested to the point of sale.
NR 19.057(5)
(5) The department may issue a wild harvest permit that is valid for the dates specified on the permit if the permit is for the harvest of minnows from a water of the state stocked with minnows by the applicant pursuant to a stocking permit under s.
29.736, Stats., or for the harvest of minnows from a lake stocked with minnows by the applicant pursuant to a permit for private management under s.
29.737, Stats. The department may issue a wild harvest permit under this section in conjunction with a stocking permit or a permit for private management.
NR 19.057 History
History: Emerg. cr. eff. 11-1-07;
CR 07-074: cr.
Register May 2008 No. 629, eff. 6-1-08;
CR 23-053: am. (1), cr. (1m), am. (2) (intro.), cr. (2m), renum. (3) to (3) (a) and am., cr. (3) (b) to (d), am. (5) Register April 2024 No. 820, eff. 5-1-24. NR 19.0575
NR 19.0575
White sucker spawning permit required. NR 19.0575(1)(1)
No bait dealer may take the eggs or milt from white suckers caught from any inland or outlying water for the purpose of rearing the offspring as bait unless the bait dealer is 18 years of age or older and possesses a white sucker spawning permit from the department. The permit holder shall comply with all terms and conditions of the permit. Permits shall expire on December 31 each year. The bait dealer shall include all of the following information on the permit application:
NR 19.0575(1)(b)
(b) The bait dealer's license number or department customer identification number.
NR 19.0575(1)(c)
(c) The types and quantities of harvest gear to be used in each waterbody to collect white suckers for egg or milt harvest.
NR 19.0575(1)(d)
(d) The volume in quarts of white sucker eggs, milt, or both that the bait dealer is requesting to harvest from each waterbody.
NR 19.0575(1)(e)
(e) The waters where the bait dealer will harvest the white sucker eggs or milt.
NR 19.0575 Note
Note: “
White sucker” refers to the species Catostomus commersonii.
NR 19.0575 Note
Note: See s.
NR 20.14 for general minnow collection restrictions, s.
NR 20.20 for county and statewide restrictions on waters, authorized methods, open season, size limits, bag limits and other restrictions, and s.
29.401, Stats., for gear use restrictions.
NR 19.0575(2)
(2) The department may issue a white sucker spawning permit under this section if it determines that all of the following criteria are met, and may set specific conditions in the permit or deny applications when necessary to ensure compliance with this section, prevent or control the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus or invasive species, and maintain a supply of suckers that is sufficiently adequate to replenish the population and sustain ecosystem function in the water of harvest:
NR 19.0575(2)(a)
(a) The applicant is a bait dealer who holds a bait dealer's license or is exempt under s.
29.509 (3), Stats., from the requirement to hold a bait dealer's license.
NR 19.0575(2)(b)
(b) The eggs or milt will not be collected from white suckers in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay, or any bay, slough or backwater of these waters, or any water connected to these waters upstream to the first dam or other obstruction impassable to fish, or from any other water where the department has reason to believe that viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus may be present or where other invasive species may be present.
