Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to ss. 29.175(1), 29.415 and 227.11(2)(a), Stats., interpreting s. 29.175(1) and 29.415, Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings on either the creation of s. NR 10.02(9) or ss. NR 27.03(3)(c)1m. and 27.06(5), Wis. Adm. Code, relating to timber rattlesnakes. Currently, the timber rattlesnake receives no protection from being taken, nor is its take regulated. This rattlesnake is a special concern species in Wisconsin and has been proposed as a candidate for federal listing as a threatened species. The Department is considering protection by either including the timber rattlesnake as a protected wild animal under s. NR 10.02 or as a threatened species under s. NR 27.03(3). The rule allows the taking of timber rattlesnakes in emergency situations involving immediate threat to human life. The taking of a timber rattlesnake must be reported to the Department within 48 hours.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Notice is hereby further given that pursuant to s. 227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rule will have an economic impact on small businesses.
Environmental Assessment
Notice is hereby further given that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.
Hearing Information
March 18, 1997 Basement Auditorium
Tuesday La Crosse County Courthouse
at 5:30 p.m. 400 4th Street North
La Crosse
March 19, 1997 Community Building
Wednesday Highway 35
at 6:30 p.m. Ferryville
March 20, 1997 Room 027, GEF #2
Thursday 101 S. Webster St.
at 6:30 p.m. Madison
ENTRY WILL BE AT THE MAIN STREET ENTRANCE ONLY.
Notice is hereby further given that pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call Robert Hay at (608) 267-0849 with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Mr. Robert Hay, Bureau of Endangered Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707 no later than March 28, 1997. Written comments will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the hearings. A copy of the proposed rule [ER-9-97] and fiscal estimate may be obtained from Mr. Hay
Fiscal Estimate
State Fiscal Impacts
Enforcement and administrative programs for rule are already in place. No changes are expected in rule enforcement or administration costs.
Local Fiscal Impacts
No additional expenses are anticipated for local units of government.
Notice of Hearings
(Fish, Game, etc., Ch. NR 1--)
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to ss. 29.174(3) and 227.11(2)(a), Stats., interpreting s. 29.174(2), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings on revisions to chs. NR 10 and 15, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to hunting and trapping. The proposed rule:
1. Creates deer management unit 72A (Wildcat Mountain state park) and allows muzzleloader by permit only and late bow hunting.
2. Allows muzzleloader only deer hunting in unit 77D (Loew Lake Unit - Kettle Moraine state forest).
3. Allows deer hunting by firearm, muzzleloader and bow and arrow at Newport state park.
4. Allows deer hunting at Rocky Arbor state park.
5. Creates turkey hunting zone 25A (Loew Lake Unit - Kettle Moraine state forest) for disabled hunters.
6. Strengthens the conditions for placement and hunting over illegal baits.
7. Eliminates the requirement to hunt geese from blinds in the Horicon intensive management zone during the early goose season.
8. Expands the closed area for coyote hunting during the gun deer season.
9. Strengthens the conditions for placement and hunting over illegal baits.
10. Eliminates the requirement to hunt geese from blinds in the Horicon intensive management zone during the early goose season.
11. Includes all of Polk county in the pheasant management zone.
12. Extends the muskrat trapping season by two months.
13. Lists mink trapping separately from muskrat trapping to allow for a different season for muskrats.
14. Eliminates the 75 trap restriction.
15. Corrects the fisher population goals.
16. Modifies beaver management zones to make the northern beaver and otter zone boundaries the same.
17. Creates a game refuge at Wilcox Lake waterfowl production area (Waushara county).
18. Expands a no entry refuge near Brule (Douglas county).
Notice is hereby further given that pursuant to ss. 29.174 and 227.11(2)(a), Stats., interpreting ss. 29.085 and 29.174(2)(a), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources will hold public hearings on revisions to chs. NR 20 and 26 relating to sport fishing and fish refuges. The proposed order:
1. Establishes uniform statewide bass fishing regulations on most inland waters through elimination of the northern zone for largemouth and smallmouth bass. The minimum length limit is increased from 12” to 14” and the early catch-and-release season is eliminated in what is now the northern zone. Also, special 15” minimum length limit and 2 daily bag limit regulations on waters in the northern zone are eliminated and will revert to the statewide 14” minimum length limit and a daily bag of 5. The daily bag limit for largemouth and smallmouth bass on all waters is combined and the minimum length limit is increased to 18” and the daily bag limit is reduced from 5 to one on Cable and Wiley lakes, Bayfield county; Windfall lake, Forest county; Stella lake, Oneida county; and Whitney lake; Vilas county.
2. Reduces the minimum length limit from 15” to 18” and reduces the daily bag limit from 5 to 3 for walleye in Stella and Thunder lakes, Oneida county; and Oconomowoc lake, Waukesha county.
3. Reduces the minimum length limit from 20” to 18” and increases the daily bag limit from one to 3 for walleye in Lac La Belle, Waukesha county.
4. Eliminates the year-around open fishing season on the Chippewa river from the Dells dam in Eau Claire county to the Holcombe flowage dam in Chippewa county.
5. Increases the minimum length limit to 26” and reduces the daily bag limit from 5 to 2 for northern pike in tributaries to Lake Superior (to coincide with regulations on Lake Superior) and on Whitney lake, a winterkill lake in Vilas county.
6. Establishes special trout fishing regulations on the Bois Brule river, Douglas county, between the county hwy. S and county hwy. B crossings, with the following rules in effect: artificial lures only, daily bag limit of 3 trout and salmon in total only 2 of which may be brown trout and only one of which may be a rainbow trout, and minimum size limits of 10” for brook trout, 26” for rainbow trout, 15” for brown trout and 12” for salmon.
7. Reduces the daily bag limit for panfish from 50 to 10 for Bladder and Sawdust lakes, Bayfield county; and Pine lake, Iron county.
8. Includes Trude lake as part of the Turtle-Flambeau flowage for the purposes of regulating panfish with special size and bag restrictions already in place on the Turtle-Flambeau flowage.
9. Makes corrections to the boundaries of different trout regulation sections on the Tomorrow river, Portage county.
10. Adds a small section of the Waupaca river to the category 5 reach in Waupaca county and corrects the description of the upstream boundary.
11. Increases the minimum length limit for muskellunge from 34” to 40” on 6 waters in Barron county, 14 waters in Burnett county, all waters in Clark county, one water in Oneida county, 12 waters in Polk county, and 9 waters in Washburn county.
12. Eliminates the harvest of all fish other than smelt and suckers with nets and traps from tributaries to Lake Michigan and Green Bay.
13. Establishes a fish refuge on the Little Turtle river, Iron county, for 200 feet upstream and 200 feet downstream of the Popko's Circle road (west) crossing.
14. Establishes a fish refuge on the south fork Eau Claire river, Clark county, from the Mead Lake dam to a point 500 feet downstream.
15. Changes the effective period of the fish refuge on the south fork Spirit river, Price county, from April 1 through April 30 to March 15 to, but not including, the opening date for the fishing season.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Notice is hereby further given that pursuant to s. 227.114, Stats., it is not anticipated that the proposed rules will have an economic impact on small business.
Environmental Assessment
Notice is hereby further given that the Department has made a preliminary determination that this action does not involve significant adverse environmental effects and does not need an environmental analysis under ch. NR 150, Wis. Adm. Code. However, based on the comments received, the Department may prepare an environmental analysis before proceeding with the proposal. This environmental review document would summarize the Department's consideration of the impacts of the proposal and reasonable alternatives.
Hearing Information
Notice is hereby further given that the hearings will be held on Monday, April 14, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. at the following locations:
Adams Adams-Columbia Electric
Co-Op Bldg.
401 E. Lake St.
Friendship
Ashland Ashland High School Auditorium
Ashland
Barron Barron County Courthouse
Auditorium
Barron
Bayfield Courthouse
County Board Room
Washburn
