Order of the State of Wisconsin Natural Resources Board
Amending, Repealing and Creating Rules
The statement of scope for this rule, SS 065-16 was approved by the Governor on July 18, 2016, published in Register No. 727B on July 25, 2016, and approved by the Natural Resources Board on September 28, 2016. This rule was approved by the Governor on January 31, 2018. The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board proposes an order to amend NR 20.20 (73) (n) 4., 25.06 (1) (a) 1. to 3., and 26.02 (1), to repeal 25.10 (1) (b) 8., and to create 20.20 (73) (n) 5. Wis. Adm. Code, relating to lake trout harvest limits in Lake Superior and affecting small business.
FH-19-16
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Natural Resources
Explanation of Agency Authority: Section 29.014 (1), Stats., directs the department to establish and maintain conditions governing the taking of fish that will conserve the fish supply and ensure the citizens of this state continued opportunities for good fishing. Section 29.041, Stats., provides that the department may regulate fishing on and in all interstate boundary waters and outlying waters. Section 29.519 (1m) (b), Stats., authorizes the department to limit the number of Great Lakes commercial fishing licenses, designate the areas in the outlying waters under the jurisdiction of this state where commercial fishing operations are restricted, establish species harvest limits, and designate the kind, size and amount of gear to be used in the harvest. Related Statutes or Rules: The department is promulgating a companion emergency version of this rule. The department identifies the emergency companion rule as FH-17-17 (E).
Plain Language Analysis: The purpose of the rule is to amend Lake Superior lake trout harvest limits and implement other reasonably related changes stemming from discussions regarding the Lake Superior Fishing Agreement. The total allowable catch of lake trout in Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior is divided among Chippewa-licensed commercial fishers, state-licensed commercial fishers, Chippewa subsistence fishers, and recreational fishers.
This rule increases the annual commercial fishing harvest limit for lake trout in the Apostle Islands region of Lake Superior and amends the bag limits and size restrictions for recreational anglers in order to manage the total population. The rule also prohibits previously allowed commercial fishing within certain refuge areas. The recreational lake trout open season runs from December 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018. The commercial fishing season is open November 28, 2017, through September 30, 2018.
Sections 1 and 2 revise the recreational fishing minimum size limits in waters east of a line running north-south from Bark Point (46° 53.21’, -91° 11.16’) on the south shore of Lake Superior, an area also known as “WI-2.” Only 2 fish may be harvested greater than 15 inches but only one lake trout could be greater than 25 inches. No other size of lake trout may be harvested in WI‑2.
The size limits for lake trout harvested by sport fishers in waters west of a line running north-south from Bark Point (an area known as “WI-1”) will remain unchanged: a 15-inch minimum size limit but only 1 lake trout may be harvested over 25 inches.
In Lake Superior, the current daily bag limit for all trout species is 5 fish of which only 1 may be a rainbow trout, only 1 may be a brook trout, and only 3 may be lake trout. The 3-fish lake trout daily bag limit will remain in Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior (WI-1). In WI-2 the bag for lake trout would be 2. For 2018, if the recreational lake trout harvest in the WI-2 waters east of Bark Point reaches 75% of the total allowable recreational lake trout harvest of 15,700 fish (15,700*0.75 = 11,775) the lake trout season in the WI-2 waters will be closed. This quota is lower than in future years in order to account overage that was harvested in 2017. Beginning with the 2019 season, if recreational harvest reaches 75% of the total allowable recreational harvest of 16,133 fish (16,133*0.75 = 12,100) the lake trout season will be closed. Recreational lake trout harvest is measured by department creel surveys during which staff gather harvest information directly from anglers. The season closure would be effecitve upon issuance of an order of the department secretary and publication in the official state newspaper. If that occurs, up to 3 lake trout per day may continue to be harvested in WI-1 waters west of Bark Point.
In addition, because of differences between WI-1 and WI-2, this rule language separates the lake trout bag limits from the current 5-trout total daily bag limit for Lake Superior. Therefore, anglers will be able to take either 2 (WI-2) or 3 lake trout (WI-1) per day in addition to up to 5 other trout per day.
Section 3 increases the annual state-licensed and Chippewa-licensed commercial fishing harvest quota for lake trout in waters east of Bark Point on the south shore of Lake Superior. Harvest by state licensed commercial fishers would be 8,060 lake trout and, for tribal fishers, 48,800. Commercial fishers are issued tags that must be attached to harvested lake trout. The tags issued to state-licensed commercial fishers for the 2017-18 season have unique serial numbers that are designated for use in either WI-1 or WI-2 waters only.
Section 4 removes the Hagen’s Beach Restricted Fishing area, which is normally closed to commercial fishing June 1 through August 31, and opens it to fishing during those months of the 2017-18 season.
Section 5 prohibits previously allowed commercial fishing within the Gull Island Refuge area. The Gull Island Refuge, wherein the lake bottom lies at a depth of 35 fathoms (210 feet) or more, or less than 7 fathoms (42 feet), or use of float nets has been open to limited commercial fishing in prior years. In order to limit the placement of fishing nets in the water and reduce potential for lake trout bycatch, it will be closed to commercial fishing.
Summary of, and Comparison with, Existing or Proposed Federal Statutes and Regulations: The department is not aware of any existing or proposed federal regulation that would govern commercial fishing in Wisconsin’s waters of Lake Superior.
Comparison with Similar Rules in Adjacent States: Of the four adjacent states, only Minnesota and Michigan have lake trout fisheries on the Great Lakes. The commercial harvest of lake trout from Minnesota waters of Lake Superior is limited to a population assessment fishery. In Michigan waters of Lake Superior there is no state-licensed commercial fishery, but tribal harvest is guided by the same modeling approach as in Wisconsin, although harvest limits are much lower than in Wisconsin.
Summary of Factual Data and Analytical Methodologies Used and How Any Related Findings Support the Regulatory Approach Chosen: An assessment of lake trout populations in the Apostle Islands region of Lake Superior is conducted by the Wisconsin State-Tribal Technical Committee using the latest available data and modeling. Based on those results and recommendations from the Committee, the harvest quotas associated with the Lake Superior Fishing Agreement are re-negotiated to change the allowable harvest of lake trout by various user groups and sometimes to address other issues related to shared harvest of lake trout and other species by state and Chippewa fishers.
There has been a decline in lean lake trout abundance in Lake Superior since the early 2000s, a trend has recently begun to turn around in response to emergency measures that reduced harvest in recent years. This decline has been confirmed by independent surveys conducted by the department and has been projected by models used to set safe harvest levels. Some level of decline was expected because of high harvest limits in the early 2000s, which were in response to several large year classes (numbers of fish spawned in the same year) predicted to enter the fishery. However, successive versions of a statistical catch-at-age model also suggest that previous estimates of lake trout abundance were inflated. This combination of increased harvest and re-scaled estimates of lake trout abundance caused total allowable catch recommendations to decline. Relatively stable abundances of spawning lake trout suggest that this decline is reversing but harvest quotas and the ability to close the season early if quotas are reached are important management tools that are needed to ensure a sustainable lake trout fishery over the long-term.
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This rule includes changes to administrative code that support fisheries management policies and goals. The department took steps to ensure the accuracy, integrity, objectivity and consistency of data used to prepare the proposed rule and related analysis.
