The final order FO-245 - MDNR Fish Disease Control has been released on the MDNR web site. I suggest you go and download it directly to make sure you have the latest document. It has changed quite a bit from the original document I recently sent you. It is about a 9 page Adobe Reader PDF document. Go to
http://www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing and click on the top Revised Fish Disease Control Order up for Action at the June 7, 2007, Natural Resources Commission (NRC) Meeting link to download.
I can't say enough about the MDNR Fisheries Division - they edited the document to allow many of the existing bass tournaments to continue to fish as we have been accustomed to by saying we can release bass at weigh in sites that are different from the water the fish might have been caught in as long as the waters are connected - navigable by boat - look under General Statewide Provisions - particularly the last few points - 15 -17. They have defined the infected areas, surveillance areas and disease free areas clearly in a new Appendix B. You need to consider the regulations specific to each of the three areas to make sure you are following regulations and protecting our resource.
I commend the MDNR for taking the extra time, knowing they were making the document a little more complex, so it is still possible to enjoy the resource as much as prudently possible while still doing what we can to protect our very important resources. This is a clear indication that the MDNR Fisheries is aware of our activities and that they are considering those activities when working through these issues - a significant gesture on their part that should not go unrecognized.
Two points I want to make right now - 1) there are a few situations where we still have to consider as special cases - where we can navigate, but should not be bringing bass/water through - 1 being the Cheboygan River/Mullett Lake lock - Lake Huron is in the VHSv Positive Management Area, while Mullett Lake and the Cheboygan River above the dam and lock are considered Free. Very few fish are able to get through that barrier. We can not afford, for several reasons, to risk bringing fish/water back from Huron into Mullett Lake. Similar, but less a possibility, are the locks on the St. Mary's River.
My 2nd point is that, while right now we can probably continue to run to and from the Lake Michigan lakes and rivers in tournaments at this time, this is a little more gray since there probably aren't very many bass, if any, that swim from Muskegon Lake to Mona Lake, etc. Bass are infected species, but since Lake Michigan and all the connected tributaries are in the Surveillance area right now, there is no intent to say we can not continue to do this. I believe this is very rare occurence if at all, but the same could not be said for northern Lake Michigan into Lake Huron. If you have an event where anglers might move between the two regions, please take that option away.
Be aware though, that even for Lake Michigan, things could change down the road, and of course there are other issues at work on the west side with regards to moving bass between the various water bodies off Lake Michigan. We need to keep up on this VHS issue, and any other future disease/exotic issues, and be prepared for future changes to do what we can control.
Being able to continue to run Lake Michigan right now is not a permanent guaranty. I know that most of us will recognize if and when we have to make some compromises to help protect the resource. For now, I thank the MDNR for making this a really smooth process to work through, and for considering the activities of various tournament anglers in particular along with all the other larger issues involved. Please pass along and set your own example for some of the additional things we can do to help out - emptying our bilges and livewells (including cleaning with a 10% bleach/water solution when possible), no personal stocking programs that involve moving fish from one body of water to another, and no longer dumping any leftover minnows into any of our waters to start with.
I've been told to expect some further explanations and details regarding the new MDNR Fish Disease Control order on their web site. Please watch out for those and I will pass along any new details that we need to know too. If you have specific questions regarding FO-245 that you want to ask the MDNR, please contact Gary Whelan, MDNR Fisheries at 517-373-6948.
