New laws & possession limits for panfish.

[Guest]

What are your Views -/+ on the new possession limits for the ND, SD, MN, region.

My opinion.....

The new 20/40 possession plan is a much better conservation minded model. I would also like to commend the MN-DNR, ND-G&F and the SD-GFP for there rethinking of crappie slots and limits.

A blanket limit is not a good way to manage a diverse and changing system of lakes and rivers but a reduced creel and slot is a good way to temporarily see that long term damage is averted. We are likely to see many more system specific regulations developed in years to come to fill the needs of the management goals on the particular system while insuring a healthy long term fishery for the public.

Placing controls on daily creels & possession limits will prevent the feast and famine cycle we all to often see in systems were a resource gets extreme angling pressure, such as panfish often do on the ice.

I have seen too many "Gold Rush" scenarios for perch or other panfish turn emerging or healthy populations of fish to scattered strays & stragglers, all in just a matter of months or even weeks. Such over harvest rapidly results in years of slow fishing before it recovers, that is if it ever recovers, a no win deal for everyone.

It was time for a change and to make it all work it is up to us as anglers to see it is obeyed & enforced.

Fish for today, fish for tomorrow, fish for life.

Backwater Eddy.................><,,>