The Department is beginning the administrative process of housekeeping changes to administrative code relating to inland fishing regulations and fish refuges.
A variety of non-substantive and non-controversial changes have been proposed by FH and LE staff and approved through joint review. The proposals include: 1) modifying the definition of “trout stream" used in administrative code to clarify that it can apply to portions of waters; 2) Clarifying the application of fishing seasons and bag/size limits to underwater spear fishing (i.e. yellow perch season on Green Bay, Lake Michigan and tributaries); 3) Extending the open season for trout to the first Sunday in March on some Polk County trout lakes; 4) Eliminating a fish refuge on the Fox River after the removal of a dam; 5) Clarification of the daily bag limit for cisco and whitefish on Trout Lake in Vilas county; and approximately 5 changes related to typographic mistakes in the administrative code.
These proposed fishing regulation changes are non-substantive changes and would likely not affect most anglers in the state. In addition, they are non-controversial changes.
Statutory authority
Staff time required
Approximately 120 hours will be needed by the Department.
Natural Resources
Subject
Proposed hunting and trapping regulation changes to be included in the 2004 Bureau of Wildlife Management Housekeeping Rule Order.
Policy analysis
The department proposes the following housekeeping rule changes for your review. These changes are minor in nature, non-controversial and can most effectively be handled through the housekeeping procedure.
We are proposing changes that provide clarifications to current rules, updated definitions, increasing management efficiency and altering limitations on hunters. The following rule proposals are:
•
Corrections to inaccurate code and statutory cross-references - NR 10 and 12
•
Create and Amend several NR 10 Definitions - NR 10.01
•
Clarification Amendments to 8 sections of
NR 10 -
NR 10
•
Legalize .172 Caliber handguns for small game. - NR 10.09 (1) (c)
•
Update Deer hunting rules that apply to Sandhill Wildlife Area. - NR 10.22 (3) (f-h)
•
Amend the requirements of registration stations to reflect current carcass tag and registration procedures. s.
NR 10.106 (3)
•
Clarifications to the small game hunting in state parks opportunities, specifically waterfowl hunting hours for Mirror Lake State Park and inserting a sunset date for migratory game bird hunting at each of the pilot parks. s.
NR 10.275 (1) (b) 1. and
(2) (b)
Statutory Authority
Staff time required
Approximately 174 hours will be needed by the department to develop the rule prior to and following the hearings.
Natural Resources
Subject
Proposed hunting and trapping regulation changes to be included on the 2004 Spring Questionnaire.
Policy analysis
This memo and attached Pink Sheet are to inform you that the department is initiating the annual rule development cycle for the 2004 Spring Fish and Wildlife Hearings. The following rule proposals will come before the Board in January 2004 for approval to hold public hearings. These hearings will be held in conjunction with the Conservation Congress Spring Meetings held on April 13, 2004. The effective dates of these rules will vary depending upon urgency and program timelines. The anticipated rule proposals include:
•
Update season dates for several state parks to match other seasons. - NR 10.01 (3) (e) 3. d.
•
Muskrat & Mink Season dates to run concurrently. - NR 10.01 (4) (e)
•
Extend deadline for purchase of Class A Bear license to August 1st - NR 10.102 (4)
•
Require portable stands and blinds be identified like duck blinds - NR 45.09 (2)
•
Allows the Early September Goose season to begin on September 1 and would not close for the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Labor Day weekend. - s.
NR 10.01 (1) 1. L. and m.
•
Fall Turkey Season to begin on Oct. 1.- s.
NR 10.01 (2) (f ) (2)
•
Simplifies and combines opening season sates north of Hwy. 64 allowing coyote, fox, raccoon, muskrat, mink, and fisher to open on the same date. - s.
NR 10.01 (4) (a) 1.,
(dm) 1. -
6., and
(e) 1.
•
Allow deer to be skinned prior to registration - 2003 Conservation Congress Advisory Question. - s.
NR 10.106 (1)
•
Allows the use of dogs to hunt turkey during the fall turkey season - 2003 Conservation Congress Advisory Question. - s.
NR 10.25 (4) (c)
•
Creates three additional turkey management zones to cover the remainder of the state. - s.
NR 10.29 (2)
•
Eliminates sharp-tailed grouse closed areas in Douglas County Wildlife Area and Moquah Barrens of the National Forest. - s.
NR 11.08
•
Creates a no entry Wildlife Area at Turtle Valley. - s.
NR 15.024
Statutory Authority
Staff time required
Approximately 214 hours will be needed by the department to develop the rule prior to and following the hearings.
Natural Resources
Subject
Proposed revision of Chapter
NR 809 Wis. Adm. Code pertaining to reporting of analytical results to the department and procedures for returning to compliance following a nitrate, nitrite or combined nitrate and nitrite maximum contaminant level (MCL) violation.
Policy analysis
Currently, many laboratories submit drinking water analytical results to the department on paper forms. The information on these forms must be manually entered into the department's drinking water system database. This process is labor intensive, expensive and prone to errors. Chapter
NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code allows the department to specify the format for reporting analytical data to the department. The department intends to clarify that laboratories must electronically submit analytical data to the department. The department believes this offers significant advantages to both laboratories and the department in terms of more timely reporting of data, more accurate data, more timely responses to violations, and lower data processing time and cost.
Chapter
NR 809, Wis. Adm. Code specifies the procedures for determining compliance with the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate, nitrite or combined nitrate and nitrite. The department intends to also specify procedures for returning to compliance following a nitrate, nitrite or combined nitrate and nitrite MCL violation.
Statutory Authority
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (40 CFR). Chapters
280 and
281 Wisconsin Statutes.
Staff time required
Approximately 166 hours will be needed by department staff to develop the proposed revisions.
