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  Allow only 3 walleye to be kept and they must be at least 18 inches, and allow 5 largemouth and smallmouth bass of any length to be kept in the following waters: Upper and Lower Eau Claire lakes in Bayfield and Douglas counties; Sand Lake in Chippewa County; Squash Lake in Oneida County; Balsam Lake in Polk County; Pulaski Lake in Rusk County, and Durphee and Osprey lakes in Sawyer County
  Allow both largemouth and smallmouth bass of any length to be kept and maintain a combined daily bag limit of 5 on the following waters:
    Beaver Lake in Ashland County
    McDermott Lake in Iron County
    Julia Lake (near Rhinelander) in Oneida County
    Riley Lake and Twin Lake in Price County
    Blueberry Lake, Smith Lake, and Spider Lake Chain (Big Spider Lake, Little Spider Lake, Clear Lake, Fawn Lake, and North Lake) in Sawyer County
    Kathryn Lake, North Twin Lake, South Twin Lake, and Spruce Lake in Taylor County
    Osseo Club Pond in Trempealeau County
    Crooked Lake, Pence Lake, Rogers Lake, Saul Spring, and Townline Lake (T33N R10E S6) in Langlade County and Ament Lake, Henson Lake, Larson Lake, Moraine Lake, and Tahoe Lake in Lincoln County
  Allow 5 largemouth and smallmouth bass of any size to be kept per day except all bass from 14 to 18 inches must be released and only 1 fish may be greater than 18 inches on the following waters:
    Round Lake in Chippewa County
    Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes, Keyes Lake, and Halsey Lake, Florence County
    Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and Trude Lake in Iron County
    Gunlock Lake and Shishebogama Lake in Oneida and Vilas Counties
  Allow largemouth bass of any length to be kept, retain the 14-inch minimum length limit for smallmouth bass, and maintain a combined daily bag limit of 5 on Chippewa Flowage and Quiet Lakes Chain (Lost Land Lake, Teal Lake, and Teal River Flowage) in Sawyer County
  Allow largemouth bass of any length to be kept, establish an 18-inch minimum length limit for smallmouth bass, and maintain a combined daily bag limit of 5 bass, of which only 1 could be a smallmouth bass on Lac Courte Oreilles Chain (Lac Courte Oreilles, Little Lac Courte Oreilles, and Billy Boy Flowage) and Round Lake Chain (Round Lake and Little Round Lake at T41N-R8W-S36) in Sawyer County
  Allow 5 walleye of any size to be kept, except only one walleye 14 inches or longer may be harvested per day in the following waters:
    Spillerberg Lake in Ashland County
    Pike Chain of Lakes (Amik, Pike, Round, and Turner lakes) in Price and Vilas counties
    Elk River from Musser Flowage Dam downstream to its confluence with South Fork Flambeau River - including the Phillips Chain of Lakes (Duroy, Elk, Long, and Wilson lakes), Grassy Lake, Solberg Lake (including its tributaries upstream to the 1st dam and all of Squaw Creek), and Lac Sault Dore (a.k.a. Soo Lake) in Price County
    Moose Lake and West Fork Chippewa River upstream to FR 174 in Sawyer County
  Allow only 3 walleye to be kept per day and they must be at least 18 inches on the following waters:
    Sea Lion Lake and the Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes in Florence County
    Archibald, Bass, Boot, Maiden, and Wheeler Lakes in Oconto County
    Shawano Lake (including Washington Lake, Shawano Lake Outlet Channel, Wolf River Pond, and Wolf River upstream to Balsam Row Dam) in Shawano County
    Deerskin Lake in Vilas County
    Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake and Pewaukee Lake in Waukesha County
    Big Cedar Lake and Gilbert Lake in Washington County
  Allow only 1 walleye to be kept per day and it must be at least 28 inches on Lac LaBelle in Waukesha County
  Allow only 10 panfish to be kept per day on Hodge Lake in Chippewa County
  Require that kept muskellunge be at least 40 inches on the Spider Lake Chain (includes Big Spider, Little Spider, Clear, Fawn, and North lakes), the Tiger Cat Chain (includes McClaine, Upper Twin, Lower Twin, Tiger Cat Flowage, Burns, and Placid), Mud/Callahan lakes, and North Fork Chief River from the Tiger Cat Dam downstream to Mud Lake in Sawyer County
  Allow only 1 northern pike to be kept per day and it must be at least 40 inches on Lake Ellwood in Florence County
  Allow only 2 northern pike to be kept per day and they must be at least 26 inches on Caroline Pond in Shawano County
  Allow only 1 northern pike to be kept per day and it must be at least 32 inches on the following lakes in Waukesha and Walworth counties:
    Lac LaBelle
    Pewaukee Lake
    Eagle Spring Lake, Lulu Lake (Walworth County) and connecting portions of the Mukwonago River
  Remove the regulation sunset and continue to allow only 2 northern pike to be kept per day and they must be at least 26 inches on Marion Millpond in Waupaca County
  Allow 5 northern pike of any size to be kept per day on Alpine Lake in Waushara County and Sharon Lake in Marquette County
  Add Wiedenbach Park Pond in Washington County to the urban fishing program
  Remove special regulations and use the general statewide or countywide length and bag limits for certain species on 25 waters in 8 counties
SECTIONS 9, 10, 11, and 12 apply new regulations on Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters that will make the regulations consistent between the Wisconsin and Minnesota waters of the Mississippi, St. Croix and St. Louis rivers, reducing angler confusion and improving ease of enforcement:
  Establish a uniform open season (from the Saturday nearest Memorial Day to November 30) and require that kept muskellunge be at least 50 inches on the Mississippi, St. Croix and St. Louis rivers and the Nemadji River, Douglas County
  Allow catch and release angling for lake sturgeon in the Mississippi River upstream of Red Wing Dam and the St. Croix River from Prescott to the Dam at the Gordon Flowage from June 16 through March 1; and allow catch and release angling for lake sturgeon on the St. Louis River, Nemadji River in Douglas County, and Mississippi River downstream from Red Wing Dam from June 16 through April 14
  Open a catch and release only season for shovelnose sturgeon from June 16 to March 1 on waters of the Mississippi, St. Croix, and St. Louis rivers upstream of Red Wing Dam, with a closed season March 2 to June 15
SECTIONS 14 and 15 update references to ch. NR 26 within ch. NR 25.
SECTION 16 repeals and recreates ch. NR 26, the list of fish refuges throughout the State. This proposal removes or modifies 51 of the 140 existing fish refuges, resulting in 110 inland fish refuges. No changes were made to refuges in Lake Superior. This list is the result of discussions between fish biologists and wardens. No new refuges are added.
6. Summary of, and Comparison with, Existing or Proposed Federal Statutes and Regulations:
Authority to promulgate fishing regulations is granted to states. None of the proposed changes violate or conflict with federal regulations.
7. Comparison with Similar Rules in Adjacent States:
Fisheries management rules are generally similar in the states surrounding Wisconsin. Each bordering state regulates fishing by the use of seasons, bag limits, and size limits. Specific seasons and bag and size limits may differ for species among the surrounding states, but the general principles are similar. Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois all have statewide seasons and bag and size limits for fish species, along with special or experimental regulations on individual waters.
8. Summary of Factual Data and Analytical Methodologies Used and How Any Related Findings Support the Regulatory Approach Chosen:
The general policy behind fishing regulations is to protect and enhance fish populations while providing diverse fishing opportunities throughout the State. That policy will be continued and enhanced by these rule changes.
The accuracy, integrity, objectivity, and consistency of data in all rule change proposals submitted by fish biologists was insured through peer-review of proposals by Fisheries Management supervisors and the Bureau Director, species management teams, and the Bureaus of Law Enforcement and Legal Services. Proposals were discussed with Wisconsin Conservation Congress members and with fisheries biologists employed by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. They were presented at the Spring Fish and Wildlife Public Hearings that occurred in every county of the State on April 13, 2015. Proposals that reduce regulation complexity or eliminate a special regulation in favor of a statewide one were given preference.
Not making the proposed rule changes would result in less than optimal management of fish populations in the waterbodies and reduced fishing opportunities for resident and visiting anglers. However, existing regulations would remain in place to provide some level of continued protection of fish resources.
9. Analysis and Supporting Documents Used to Determine the Effect on Small Business or in Preparation of an Economic Impact Report:
It is not expected that there will be any economic impact or change directly related to these rule changes. The proposed rule will primarily affect sport anglers. Regulations are already in place and this rule is intended to continue protection and enhancement of the State’s fish resources. One result of the rule may be maintenance of the general economic impact of fishing throughout Wisconsin.
The department conducted an economic impact analysis in March 2015 to determine if any individuals, businesses, local governments, or other entities expect to be adversely affected economically by the rule. No comments were submitted to the department. The proposed rule does not impose any reporting requirements on small businesses nor are any design or operational standards contained in the rule.
10. Effect on Small Business (initial regulatory flexibility analysis):
It is not expected that there will be any effect on small business directly related to these rule changes. The proposed rule does not impose any reporting requirements on small businesses nor are any design or operational standards contained in the rule.
11. Agency Contact Person:
Kate Strom Hiorns, Fisheries Policy Specialist
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921, 101 S. Webster St., Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: 608-266-0828 or 266-5206
Fax: 608-266-2244
12. Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
Written comments were submitted at the public hearings, or by regular mail, fax or email to the contact person listed above. No written comments were submitted to the Department using the Wisconsin Administrative Rules website at http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. Public hearings took place on April 13, 2015, which was also the comment submission deadline.
Section 1   NR 19.001 (3m) is created to read:
NR 19.001 (3m) “Asian carp” means bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and all other non-native carp species except common carp (Cyprinus carpio), goldfish (Carassius auratus), and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio).
Section 2   NR 19.05(4) is created to read:
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