more on new proposed MN tournament rules

I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of any other hunting or fishing activity that has these types of rules? What do you think?

B. The commissioner shall consider the following criteria when determining conditions to be included in the permit:
1. Whether the activity will advance knowledge, understanding, interpretation, or management of a fish species, fish community, or water body;
2. Impacts on other public uses, research efforts, educational events, or management activities;
3. Impacts to spawning fish or areas, rice beds, critical habitat, or to the fish community;
4. Whether the activity is detrimental or helps achieve management objectives for the specific water body;
5. Whether contest activities during high use periods are anticipated to cause unacceptable safety risks; and
6. Whether contest activities during high use periods are anticipated to cause user conflicts.

The entire proposal has made a lot of tournament directors and tournament anglers very angry and confused.

Jason, I couldn’t agree with you more. What really irks me is that they have been planning this for two years and have done little to get our input. I tend to suggest that they are anti-tournament, and when I bring this forward, they are quick to deny it. Maybe we need to organize a e-mail or letter protest?

What we found out over here is that you have to be consistantly visable and vocal. They monitor the websites so let them know you are out here and PO’d