I have copy/pasted this from the “other” site. It might give you a better understanding of my concern with what is going on with our DNR and their so called stocking efforts on Leech Lake.
This is the press release sent out by the walker area Reps about their stocking fight with Mr Henrey Drews the fish expert. I want to thank the Mayor of Walker for sending this off to me.
Contact: Larry Jacobson
Leech Lake Association
Fishing Task Force
Phone 218-547-1510
Fax 218-547-3447
Email [email protected] Leech Lake Assn.
Fishing Task Force
Press Release
Leech Lake Association Fishing Task Force declares DNR stocking insufficient
Fifteen businesses close in Walker in two years, Leech Lake Resort reservations down 90 percent for 2005 Fishing Opener.
• Walker, MN, April 15, 2005: The Minnesota DNR believes that Leech Lake needs a good year class in at least 2 years out of 5 to maintain a quality walleye fishery, but there has not been a decent year class in the last 7 years. The problem is believed to be caused by thousands of Cormorants that have been nesting on Leech Lake. The bird eats a pound of fish a day and 10,000 Cormorants are now calling Leech Lake home. An effort is now underway to try to control those numbers. The Cormorants have drastically reduced the yellow perch and walleye numbers in the main eastern basin of Leech Lake. The main basin is ideal shallow water fishing grounds for the bird. Despite the lack of natural reproduction the DNR’s Action Plan calls for stocking only 5 million walleye fry, less than 10 percent of what the number should be to produce a good year class.
“We are extremely disappointed in the DNR’s efforts to bolster the Leech Lake walleye fishery,” stated Walker Mayor Brad Walhof. “When Red Lake had problems the DNR stocked 30 to 40 million fry per year over several years. Why should Leech Lake be treated differently? We view the stocking as an insurance policy. We have no assurance that there will be a good year class this year. By stocking these fry in optimal locations we can boost their odds for survival.”
Larry Jacobson, owner of Hiawatha Beach Resort on Leech Lake said, “Five million marked fry are going to be put in Leech Lake only as a study of stocking success. Leech has not had a successful year class in seven years. We cannot accept the wait and see attitude that comes from the Bemidji DNR Office. Leech Lake needs production stocking. Leech Lake needs fry now,” Jacobson noted that May resort reservations on Leech are down 90 percent for 2005.
Walker businessman Jeff Holly said, “The Leech Lake walleye recovery effort is going to take three to five years and we’ve lost 15 businesses in the last two years. We can’t wait any longer. We need help now. We have no more years to lose.”
Larry Anderson, a retired teacher and guide on Leech Lake is also Chairman of the Leech Lake Association Fishing Task Force and stated, “The launch service I work for has no reservations for the 2005 fishing opener. The bad press we have received is keeping people away. The western basins of Leech Lake still have walleyes but are the second lowest in recorded history. We need an all out stocking effort now. Businesses, Resorts, Civic Groups, County, City, Township governments, and the Leech Lake Reservation plus citizens from all over the state are supporting the effort to stock more fry in Leech Lake. The only opposition we have is from our own DNR. No one understands why the DNR would not put on an all out effort to help Minnesota’s third largest inland lake.”
As a rule the DNR stocks at a rate of 1,000 fry per littoral acre. Leech, having 58,000 littoral acres, could receive 58 million fry if production stocked to the DNR standard. The DNR contends that there is plenty of brood stock left to produce walleye fry naturally in the lake this season, but a memo from Pat Rivers DNR Large Lake Specialist for Leech Lake projects a hatch of only 10 to 25 million fry naturally this year.
“Quite frankly we’ve been given so many conflicting numbers by the local DNR Office in Bemidji that I don’t believe any of them anymore and that is a shame,” said Mayor Walhof. “Henry Drewes, DNR Regional Fisheries Manager in Bemidji, is calling the Red Lake recovery nothing short of phenomenal but he will not help Leech Lake. The recovery of Red Lake was all due to stocking. Maybe we should blame global warming for our troubles on Leech Lake. That’s what Henry did in the Outdoor News,”
After meetings this winter on Cormorant control, stocking, regulations and habitat held at the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools, Harlan Fierstine, Walker Fisheries Supervisor, was quoted as saying, “We got the message loud and clear that people want to see a proactive, holistic management plan for improving the walleye fishery on Leech Lake.”
The people of the Leech Lake Area and the State of Minnesota are still waiting for that message to get through and time is running out.
I guess the cat is getting out of the bag!
