[backpacker]

For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Maureen Wren
Thursday, September 11, 2008 (518) 402-8000

DEC ADOPTS NEW FRESHWATER FISHING RULES FOR 2008-2010 SEASONS
Changes to Become Effective October 1, 2008

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced the finalization of changes to
freshwater fishing regulations for the 2008-2010 seasons. These new
regulations will become effective on October 1, 2008, and enhance
fishing opportunities for anglers across New York.

“New York continues to provide some of the nation's best
fishing opportunities, and these regulation changes are intended to
enhance angler satisfaction, while also protecting New York's precious
fishery resources,” Commissioner Grannis said. “During our public
comment period on the draft regulations, DEC received many helpful
comments from anglers and other stakeholders, with some suggestions
incorporated into the final changes announced today. We look forward to
continuing together to protect our fisheries and improve fishing
opportunities.”

The new regulations are the result of a two-year process which
included careful assessment by DEC staff, discussions with various
angling interest groups, and a formal public review and input process.
DEC proposed draft regulations in February 2008 and initiated a 45-day
public comment period which ended in April.

Several of the recently adopted changes apply to all waters in
New York, while others apply to specific waters.

Statewide Angling Regulations:

● Prohibit the act of chumming with fish eggs in order to reduce
the harvest of female fish specifically for purposes of taking eggs and
using them as a method to aggregate and concentrate fish.

● Define a “tip-up” as any device used for fishing through the
ice that has a signaling device attached, except a bobber or other
floating object on the water, that will visually or audibly signal a
strike. This will provide clarity on what devices fall under the
category of tip-ups for ice fishing

● Prohibit the sale of trout eggs in order to prevent the harvest
of trout for the purposes of selling eggs in tributary fisheries by
anglers.

● Establish a species-specific list of fish that may be used as
bait fish to minimize potential adverse introductions of certain fish
outside of their native ranges; clarify and define what bait fish are
acceptable for use.

Trout and Salmon Fishing Regulations:

● Establish a three-fish daily creel limit with a 12-inch minimum
size limit for trout in Beardsley Lake in Montgomery and Herkimer
counties, Kyser Lake in Fulton and Herkimer counties and Stillwater
Reservoir in Herkimer County, to foster production and subsequent catch
of larger size trout in waters capable of growing large fish while
providing sufficient protection for these quality fisheries.

● Create a three-fish daily creel limit with a 12-inch minimum
size limit for trout in the ponds contained within the Massawepie
Conservation Easement Area in St. Lawrence County (Pine, Boottree, Town
Line, Deer and Horseshoe) and Tamarack Pond in St. Lawrence County to
provide for trophy brook fishing opportunities while protecting
heritage-strain brook trout populations.

● Institute a five-trout creel limit, with no more than two trout
longer than 12 inches on the Lansing Kill in Oneida County, to protect
larger trout and maintain a quality trout fishery.
● Extend the catch-and-release section of West Canada Creek in
Herkimer and Oneida counties in order to expand the area with this
angling opportunity, increase the number of fish available to anglers
and spread out anglers on West Canada Creek that seek catch-and-release
fishing experiences.

● Extend the current Apr. 1 - Oct. 15 catch-and-release season on
the West Branch St. Regis River in St. Lawrence County to all year,
thereby increasing angling opportunity.

● Eliminate the special regulation requiring catch-and-release
fishing for trout on Allen Pond in St. Lawrence County and replace it
with a three-fish daily creel limit and 12-inch minimum size limit. This
will provide sufficient protection to the quality trout fishery while
allowing for limited harvest.

● Create a catch-and-release, artificial-lures-only regulation in
Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the Town of Webb in Herkimer County to reduce
harvest as part of an ongoing heritage-strain brook trout evaluation
study.

● Establish a special regulation for kokanee salmon in Glass Lake
in Rensselaer County with a three-fish daily creel limit and 12-inch
minimum size limit in order to reduce harvest and protect the kokanee
salmon population.

● Establish a special regulation for Ellicott Creek in Erie County
in order to provide anglers the opportunity to harvest trout within
Amherst State Park.

● Remove the special regulation for lake trout on Woodhull Lake in
Herkimer County as surveys have indicated that the lake trout have no
limitations on reaching larger sizes and a special regulation is not
warranted.

Black Bass and other warm-water species:

● Extend the winter catch-and-release-only black bass season in
Suffolk and Nassau counties to provide additional angling opportunity.

● Reduce the creel limit on walleye and sauger in Lake Champlain
to “3 fish in combination” to better protect walleye and sauger
stocks and provide continuity between New York and Vermont regulations.


● Modify the creel limit and size limit for muskellunge and tiger
muskellunge in the border waters of the Delaware River and West Branch
Delaware River, to provide a consistent regulation with the State of
Pennsylvania.

● Remove American eel from the list of fish that can be
spearfished in order to reduce fishing-related mortality for American
eels.

Great Lakes and Tributary Regulations:

● Restrict the use of weight on the line, leader, swivels or
artificial flies in the Salmon River fly fishing-only area in order to
reduce snagging of trout and salmon.

● Refine the allowable fishing tackle that may be used in the
special regulations fly fishing catch-and-release areas on the Salmon
River in Oswego County in order to offer an unimpeded traditional fly
fishing experience.

Bait Fish Regulations:

● Prohibit the use of bait fish in waters such as the Henderson
Lake in the Town of Newcomb in Essex County, and in the Giant Mountain
Wilderness Area in order to prevent more non-native fishes from becoming
established which impairs the ability to restore native salmonids.

● Prohibit the use of bait fish in Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the
Town of Webb in Herkimer County in order to protect these reclaimed
brook trout waters from non-native fish introductions.

● Add the ponds and streams in the Raquette-Boreal Wilderness Area
to the list of waters that restrict the use of bait fish in order to
minimize the potential of introducing competing species to these
sensitive brook trout ponds.


The complete list of fishing regulation changes can be viewed on
the Department’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html .
Comments received from the public are categorized and reviewed for
substance, and then staff responses to those comments are compiled. A
summary of the "Assessment of Public Comment" is available on the DOS
website at www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register.htm

[Matt]

● Establish a species-specific list of fish that may be used as
bait fish to minimize potential adverse introductions of certain fish
outside of their native ranges; clarify and define what bait fish are
acceptable for use.

Doesn't sound like a regulation to me.... sounds like a proposal or something the DEC would have to do.