spectr17
01-12-2003, 03:37 PM
Meetings to discuss paddlefish
OK DWC
1/2/03
Amid growing concern over one of the state's most unique fisheries resources, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is moving to permanently adopt, emergency rules implemented earlier this year by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.
"The last few years anglers have become very successful at harvesting paddlefish in their pre-spawning staging areas," said Kim Erickson, chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "These rules will help to maintain the health of paddlefish populations and ensure long term recreational opportunity."
Paddlefish are large, prehistoric fish found in Oklahoma mainly in the Grand and Neosho river systems. Paddlefish gather microscopic animals from the water by swimming slowly with their mouths open.
Several regulations were amended to ensure that paddlefish will be abundant for many generations to come. The daily bag limit on paddlefish taken during the spawning season was reduced from three fish to one per day. Catch and release fishing will be allowed year round until an angler keeps a fish, at which point the angler must stop snagging. The new rules define a hook used in snagging as one single hook or one treble hook and require all hooks to be barbless. Anglers will be required to tag (with name, address and fishing license number) all paddlefish and paddlefish parts until reaching their residence.
The new rules also allow non-residents to take four daily limits home and changes legal snagging hours below the dam at Ft. Gibson from "sunset to sunrise" to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The new rules also more clearly define the term, in the field, specifically, in the field means while fishing, while in the boat, on the bank, in the immediate vicinity of any river, creek, stream, lake or pond, or while transporting or carrying the fish from the waters described above to camp or from such water to the final destination. All of the changes took effect Jan. 1, 2003
Earlier this year, the Department held informal town hall meetings in Pryor and Miami to solicit angler input concerning the emergency rules. In addition, a pair of public meetings will be hosted by Wildlife Department personnel in northeast Oklahoma to discuss the rules and the status of paddlefish populations. The meetings will be held Jan. 13 at the Miami Civic Center banquet room (129 5th St.) and Jan. 14 at the Tulsa Technology Center Alliance building auditorium (801 East 91st St.). Both meetings begin at 7p.m. For more details call (405) 521-3721.
OK DWC
1/2/03
Amid growing concern over one of the state's most unique fisheries resources, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is moving to permanently adopt, emergency rules implemented earlier this year by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.
"The last few years anglers have become very successful at harvesting paddlefish in their pre-spawning staging areas," said Kim Erickson, chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "These rules will help to maintain the health of paddlefish populations and ensure long term recreational opportunity."
Paddlefish are large, prehistoric fish found in Oklahoma mainly in the Grand and Neosho river systems. Paddlefish gather microscopic animals from the water by swimming slowly with their mouths open.
Several regulations were amended to ensure that paddlefish will be abundant for many generations to come. The daily bag limit on paddlefish taken during the spawning season was reduced from three fish to one per day. Catch and release fishing will be allowed year round until an angler keeps a fish, at which point the angler must stop snagging. The new rules define a hook used in snagging as one single hook or one treble hook and require all hooks to be barbless. Anglers will be required to tag (with name, address and fishing license number) all paddlefish and paddlefish parts until reaching their residence.
The new rules also allow non-residents to take four daily limits home and changes legal snagging hours below the dam at Ft. Gibson from "sunset to sunrise" to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The new rules also more clearly define the term, in the field, specifically, in the field means while fishing, while in the boat, on the bank, in the immediate vicinity of any river, creek, stream, lake or pond, or while transporting or carrying the fish from the waters described above to camp or from such water to the final destination. All of the changes took effect Jan. 1, 2003
Earlier this year, the Department held informal town hall meetings in Pryor and Miami to solicit angler input concerning the emergency rules. In addition, a pair of public meetings will be hosted by Wildlife Department personnel in northeast Oklahoma to discuss the rules and the status of paddlefish populations. The meetings will be held Jan. 13 at the Miami Civic Center banquet room (129 5th St.) and Jan. 14 at the Tulsa Technology Center Alliance building auditorium (801 East 91st St.). Both meetings begin at 7p.m. For more details call (405) 521-3721.