Doyle to sign bill regulating fish tourneys

Doyle to sign bill regulating fish tourneys

By TOM SHEEHAN, Tribune Capitol bureau

MADISON — Gov. Jim Doyle will sign a bill today that tightens control over fishing tournaments but also allows participants in some of those events to skirt state fishing regulations, an aide for the governor said Monday. Advertisement

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AB 623, which is scheduled to be signed in Ashland, Wis., will boost the state’s tourism economy by attracting high-profile tournaments and anglers to Wisconsin, said Josh Morby, a spokesman for Doyle.

The state Department of Natural Resources will draft rules for tournaments, which now are largely unregulated.

Critics of the bill, introduced by state Rep. DuWayne Johnsrud, R-Eastman, complain it gives tournament contestants special privileges over other state anglers.

Contestants in four bass tournaments a year could “cull” for fish, or put smaller ones back as larger ones are caught after a bag limit is reached. The program would sunset Dec. 31, 2006, if not renewed. Culling now is illegal in Wisconsin.

Johnsrud said the culling provision was added to the bill to attract enough support to get it through the Legislature. Fishing tournaments should be regulated because they can deplete fish populations and crowd waterways and boat landings, Johnsrud has said.

During the 2001-02 fishing season, the DNR issued permits for about 400 tournaments that drew more than 30,000 anglers.

The current permit system applies only to organized tournaments with $500 or more in prizes and more than 20 boats or 40 participants. The DNR has no authority, however, to restrict the number of tournaments or participants, designate access points or to control timing of events to protect fish populations.

THOUGHTS??

Even though I am for tournaments and very much appreciate all the neat better electronics, rods, reels, fishing line, better boats and better outboard motors, and knowledge that have all come as a result of tournaments I do not believe it is right for tournaments to have special favors like culling fish that the average angler doesn’t have. We ALL have gained greatly from tournaments but giving special rules to them will only irritate people and turn them against tournaments.
Thanks, Bill

I agree with the culling fish topic but do they not consider the amount of money that brings in for these tourneys? The towns they are held in, for years, have had the buisness that the tournys have brought. If they were to regulate them to a specific number and have to not have as many, it would impact many communities. I just dont see why they think that the tournements are such a bad thing.

Tournaments have made the economy alot better for these towns where they are at. Thats why they are willing to support the tournaments that come to their area. Without the tourneys some of these towns really suffer financial wise.
Thanks, Bill

Quote:

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Tournaments have made the economy alot better for these towns where they are at. Thanks, Bill

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I am going to partially disagree with this statement. In some cities where tournaments are held, the regular joe average and his family sometimes decide to go elsewhere when a tourney is in town. I know I have done it. In some instances the tourney fishermen and women just take the place of the would be tourist, not add to it. I am not a big fan of tournaments, and I don’t feel that any special treatment should be given to them via relaxed regulations.

Sorry, just my opinion

FishandSki
I have to disagree with you there you say the tournament anglers just take the place of tourists. now how many tourists go to these places for weeks on end and spend all that money and not just one family but anywhere from 100-500 guys at a time I truely think that these citys benefit 100% from the tourneys held in there town I know on average when I leave town to prefish a tourney I blow anywhere from $500-$1,500 in a week in expenses alone. not inlcuding the entry fee. you tell me that doesn’t help.

First off I think if this is all Gov Droopy has to do with his time, were in worse shape that I thought!

There is little arguing that by and large tournements add to local economies. But if an economy is so fragile a tourny will make or break it, face it that town is in rough shape! Kinda like living paycheck to paycheck.

I also do not agree with special regulations for tournement anglers. Not out of spite for them, not at all. But why create even more scenarios for our already dwindling population of game wardens to deal with? Are the one per county wardens going to have to watch the tourneys and try to decide who is and isn’t a tourny fisherman?

Too much time has been wasted on this from the governors office in my opinion. I live right next door to Eau Claire. This month three different business’s let just over 500 people go. Laid off. This isn’t a big enough city to support that very many times. And we don’t have a lake worthy of attracting several tournements a year that would create jobs for the 500 looking people.

I pulled this section from an article in today’s tribune:

Quote:

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Non-resident anglers spent 3.74 million days fishing in Wisconsin, helping generate a total economic impact from sportfishing of $2.3 billion and $90 million in sales, fuel and income tax revenue, according to the American Sportfishing Association.

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And that was just NON-RESIDENT…Add in Resident and i’m sure it sky rockets

I’ve been loosely following this story since it popped up 5-6 months ago. The way I understand this legislation is this: (And correct me if I’m wrong here)

The authority to set rules for tournaments (And other fish and game activities in Wisconsin) was simply transferred from the legislature committee to the Wi DNR. Makes totally good sense in my book.

However, in order to get enough votes to get a good bill passed the amendment to give special privies to some tourneys was added in at the last minute. That’s politics.

Will there be any major changes in the way permits are regulated? Don’t know. Nothing in the bill indicates that.

I will also go on record as saying that it’s a shame that any tournament be granted special privileges such as culling and limits that are not the same as “Joe Average Fisherman”!