8. Analysis and Supporting Documents Used to Determine the Effect on Small Business or in Preparation of an Economic Impact Report: The proposed rule will primarily affect recreational anglers who fish the approximate 20 miles of river from the Grand Rapids Dam tailwaters to the Menominee Dam. It is not expected that there will be any economic impact or change directly related to these rule changes. Anglers will still have the opportunity to harvest a legal-sized sturgeon in over 40 miles of waters upstream of the Grand Rapids Dam.
It is not expected that this rule would affect businesses that register sturgeon. There are only two non-department sturgeon registration stations in the area and only 10 lake sturgeon have been harvested above the Menominee Dam since 2006. The Peshtigo DNR Service Center is an alternate registration station.
9. Effect on Small Business (initial regulatory flexibility analysis): It is not expected that there will be any economic impact or change directly related to these rule changes. The proposed rule will primarily affect sport anglers. The proposed rule does not impose any reporting requirements on small businesses nor are any design or operational standards contained in the rule.
10. Agency Contact Person:
Mike Donofrio
101 N. Ogden Rd., Suite A
Peshtigo, WI 54157-1734
(715) 582-5050
11. Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
Written comments may be submitted at the public hearings, by regular mail, fax or email to the person listed above. Written comments may also be submitted to the Department using the Wisconsin Administrative Rules Internet website at http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov. A public hearing will be held September 29, 2015 in Peshtigo. The comment submission deadline is September 30.
Section 1 NR 23.05 (5) (c) is amended to read:
NR 23.05 (5) (c) LAKE STURGEON
1. Menominee river, upstream from Hattie St. Grand Rapids dam | First Saturday in September to September 30 | 1 per season | 60 |
1m. Menominee river, downstream from Hattie St. Grand Rapids dam | First Saturday in September to September 30 | 0 (catch-and-release only) | Harvest prohibited |
2. All other boundary waters | No open season | -- | -- |
Section 2. Statement of Emergency. The department finds that an emergency rule is needed to promote the preservation and protection of health, safety, and welfare for recreational anglers on the Menominee River, a boundary water with the State of Michigan. The emergency rule is necessary to prevent harvest and consumption of lake sturgeon from the Menominee River downstream of the Grand Rapids Dam during the 2015 lake sturgeon harvest season.
Section 3. Effective Date. This rule shall take effect on September 1, 2015.
Section 4. Board adoption. This rule was approved and adopted by the State of Wisconsin Natural Resources Board on August 12, 2105.
