|
|
Posts: 8772
| What does this mean for the future of our stocking programs?
Or bringing your own suckers?
Many states get their muskies from other states, or should I say DID...
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/pdf/vhs-fed-order_ogc-changes.pdf
Edited by esoxaddict 11/9/2006 9:44 AM
|
|
| |
|
| This could mean a brighter future for MN fishing. In the last few years neighboring states have increased demand on MN hatcheries. This demand drove the prices up above what the MN DNR is contracted to pay and has left the DNR without needed in the past. Eliminating the demand from other states will hopefully drop the price of fish down to what the DNR contracted to pay and give them a better shot at hitting their stocking quotas. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| I don't think it's as good as you think it is for MN.
The long term damage this does to other states stocking programs is going to send thousands more musky anglers flocking to fish in MN.
Think about it -- would you rather have the MN Muskie farm supplying fish to IN, IL, and WI, etc. so they can all stay home and fish in their own state, or would you rather keep all those fish to yourself and have those same anglers coming to MN to fish instead??
I'd rather give away a few fish myself...
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 5874
| It's not like MN Muskie Farm is the only place to get muskies. If clubs can't get muskies in WI, and there is a market, I bet somebody will create the supply to meet the demand here. Same with the other states. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| There's already a demand. But not being able to transport fish across state lines means a lot of places just aren't going to get stocked next year. Or the year after that, or the year after that -- reacting to something like this is going to take a lot of time, and a lot of money that the DNR and the clubs just don't have and cannot easily get.
In the meantime there are a lot of fisheries in several states that are going to be in a lot of trouble. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Stocking... Who is to say the MN strain is THE preferred stock to plant? I for one am not convinced the MN strain is so superior that all states should stock it.
It would suck for those that intend to bring their own suckers for price/quality reason.
What I wonder about is how will border lakes be stocked. If a lake borders WI & MN, or WI and MI, I assume either strain can be stocked???? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| I'm not saying it is, Travis. Only that the states that rely on stocking fish from other states are going to be in a lot of trouble because of this.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Agreed Addict. It is those states that will have to start looking at starting up there own programs with the help of clubs. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| Maybe I'm overreacting to this but I see the potential for a pretty rapid statewide decline here that may take decades to recover from... |
|
| |
|
| I agree a positive for Minn,,,Minn DNR was getting middled by local fish raisers when the private demand started to boom,,blessing in disguise has now maybe there will be more sources created by NEC for LL strain fish |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Please tell me if all this is true:
Many Illinois baitshops get their fish from Wisconsin. No longer possible.
In fall people in Wisconsin cannot bring suckers to Illinois and vice versa.
Illinois, who has a large shortage of stockable muskies cannot buy fish from Indiana or Ohio.
No one can bring 4 walleyes and northerns from canada back home to eat. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| All true except the last one
You can still trasnport dead fish |
|
| |
|
| Addict - perhaps this is a good time for your local MI chapter to consider a rearing program? Many DNR overproduce eggs and don't have the facilities or budget to rear them all. Talk to them about using some of your chapter funds to get use of a local pond and rear some fish yourselves that way you can ween yourselves off dependence on third parties. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| I don't know if we have suitable rearing habitat, MN Angler. There is no natural reproduction in IL, for a bunch of different reasons. Do those same reasons apply to rearing muskies that have already hatched? I suspect they do. It's certainly worth looking into. We're going to have to do something besides just fish in MN and WI. But let's be honest with ourselves -- When you try to introduce a species beyond its native habitat in an ecosystem that basically isn't designed for it's survival, you can't expect it to be a smashing success.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 5874
| Most fish stocked in WI are raised by our DNR. Now, whether the right strain, or gentics are raised is another question. Most muskies will go through the spawning in NR waters. It is habitat factors that limit the success. Most eggs never hatch in these waters.
I really don't think our fish populations are going to come crashing down as a result of this.
Edited by Shep 11/9/2006 2:41 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 8772
| Shep, I don't believe WI will suffer very much from this. But IL is going to be in a lot of trouble and I suspect several other states will be as well.
The bottom line is money -- stocking programs are already poorly funded, and what little money the clubs are able to generate to buy and stock fish will now be spent trying to find ways to raise them. The end result is fewer muskies stocked in fewer lakes a lot less often. Or maybe no muskies stocked in some lakes. When you can't transport them from another state it greatly diminishes what you have available. And unlike WI, we don't have out of state revenue to spend. (People go to WI to escape IL, NOT the other way around  )
In 2005 there were 23,745 muskies stocked in the state of IL. Of those, 10,687 came from other states.
That's 45% fewer fish that we will be able to stock next year.
How many years of stocking half as many fish in lakes with no natural reproduction, high mortality rates, a short lifespan, and an amazing amount of angling pressure before we see a severe population crash?
Edited by esoxaddict 11/9/2006 3:56 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 5874
| That tourney regulation passes, and we'll be in the same boat as IL! |
|
| |
What does this mean for us???