Mich DNR hates tournaments

Well Michigan anglers have been asking for a catch & release season for
years now and the DNR has dragged its feet on this issue till now. They have
a proposal out now that they are trying to sell to the public as a longer
season yet when you look close it actually shortens the harvest season or
tournament season.



The DNR is using this as an opportunity to shorten the "tournament" season
not improve the quality of fishing! Even after a multitude of studies in
Michigan as well as Canada and other states that conclude that fishing
pressure play a small roll in fish quality and mortality compared to natural
influences.weather, predators and diseases or non natural influences. weed
control chemicals, industrial chemicals, loss of habitat and creel/size
limits. The studies show that not only is the resource growing with the
season as it is but it could handle a catch & release season with no
problem.



It is clear that the DNR has an agenda that is more to do with tournaments
then angling. Michigan is the only northern state in the top 5 for number of
tournaments and wants to change that with this proposal.



The Michigan DNR has been restricted by political pressure from increasing
boating and fishing access on lakes with no access (private lakes) for 30
years now and the results are that access to new water as been stagnant
while boaters/anglers have increased exponentially. This as lead to boat
launch's being full all the time and if a tournament is there they get
blamed for the lack of access, even thou tournaments are restricted to only
60% of the parking at a launch. The DNR feels they can put the blame on
tournaments for this lack of access diverting the attention from their lack
of effort.



Read the report here

http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATI...egulations.pdf

Read some of the anglers response

http://www.lakestclair.net/forums/in... 270d2f111eccf

Read the media

http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoors/bass6_20040506.htm

Your local organizations need to contact the state's politicians on this
issue pointing out how tournaments bring additional money into the local
economies with little or no negative impact.

It is one of the few privately organized activities that is truly self
policing.

There is direct sales related to visiting anglers. Luxury item (excise and
sales taxes) sales to local anglers. Tackles sales (more taxes).
Facilities fees. (direct benefit if public, and indirect benefit if private)
License sales (direct benefit)

People who fish tournaments have money and spend it. This is not a group of
people politicians should alienate.

ALSO, I strongly recommend that any of these issues that are important to
you be mentioned at sign in and/or weigh in for local tournaments so that
the anglers affected will be aware of the issues. (Do not make it a
political event. Just mention it and where people can get more information
if they want it.)

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"Roy Randolph" wrote in message
...
Well Michigan anglers have been asking for a catch & release season for
years now and the DNR has dragged its feet on this issue till now. They
have
a proposal out now that they are trying to sell to the public as a longer
season yet when you look close it actually shortens the harvest season or
tournament season.



The DNR is using this as an opportunity to shorten the "tournament" season
not improve the quality of fishing! Even after a multitude of studies in
Michigan as well as Canada and other states that conclude that fishing
pressure play a small roll in fish quality and mortality compared to
natural
influences.weather, predators and diseases or non natural influences. weed
control chemicals, industrial chemicals, loss of habitat and creel/size
limits. The studies show that not only is the resource growing with the
season as it is but it could handle a catch & release season with no
problem.



It is clear that the DNR has an agenda that is more to do with tournaments
then angling. Michigan is the only northern state in the top 5 for number
of
tournaments and wants to change that with this proposal.



The Michigan DNR has been restricted by political pressure from increasing
boating and fishing access on lakes with no access (private lakes) for 30
years now and the results are that access to new water as been stagnant
while boaters/anglers have increased exponentially. This as lead to boat
launch's being full all the time and if a tournament is there they get
blamed for the lack of access, even thou tournaments are restricted to
only
60% of the parking at a launch. The DNR feels they can put the blame on
tournaments for this lack of access diverting the attention from their
lack
of effort.



Read the report here

http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATI...egulations.pdf

Read some of the anglers response


http://www.lakestclair.net/forums/in... 270d2f111eccf

Read the media

http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoors/bass6_20040506.htm