6. List with description of all entities that may be affected by the proposed rule:
State-licensed commercial fishers on Lake Superior
Tribal-licensed commercial fishers on Lake Superior (indirect impact)
Recreational fishers on Lake Superior
Related fishing businesses such as recreational fishing guides and charter fishing businesses7. Summary and preliminary comparison with any existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule:
No federal regulations apply. None of the rule proposals violate or conflict with federal regulations.
8. Anticipated economic impact of implementing the rule (note if the rule is likely to have an economic impact on small businesses):
The rules could have an impact on the harvest of Lake Superior fish species, including cisco and lake trout, by commercial fishers and recreational fishers. The rules imposing harvest restrictions are necessary in order to ensure a sustainable fishery over the long-term that provides an economic and natural resource benefit for all user groups. The permanent rule may have a moderate economic impact (economic impact analysis above $50,000 but less than $20 million), but an exact amount of impact is unknown at this time. When a permanent rule is pursued, the department will conduct an economic impact analysis to gather comments from any individuals, businesses, local governments, or other entities that expect to be affected economically by the rule change.
Average state-licensed commercial fishers’ annual catch between 2016 and 2019 was 688,710 round pounds of cisco and 28,137 dressed pounds of lake trout. In 2019, the cisco price per pound was $0.40-0.75, but has been as high as $1.20 per pound since 2012. While the price per pound has varied over time, estimated total value of the commercial cisco roe fishery is between $200,000 and $500,000 per year. Lake trout price per pound has been approximately $1.00 per pound and has not fluctuated as much due to the lack of international forces present with the cisco roe fishery. The methods in the rules for determining harvest restrictions are expected to allow commercial fishers to harvest at or near the current total average annual catch amount. Therefore, the rules may have minimal to moderate economic impact on commercial fishing businesses. Outside of the rules, market demand and fuel and other variable expenditures would have a greater economic impact. The rules will allow the department to reduce or increase the harvest limit based on assessment data and recommended harvest parameters.
Recreational fishers may be affected if a change to recreational seasons, daily bag limits, or size limits is needed in order to manage overall harvest. If so, that is not expected to cause any new expenditures for recreational fishers. The proposed rules may have an indirect effect on fishing guides and charter fishing businesses, but total allowable harvest of the main target of the fishery, lake trout, is expected to be similar or increase and therefore could benefit these businesses and recreational fishers with a reduction in the chance of an early season closure.
9. Anticipated number, month and locations of public hearings:
The department anticipates holding one public hearing in the month of November 2020 for the emergency rule and one public hearing in the month of January 2021 for the permanent rule. The hearing city for both will be: Ashland, WI.
The department will hold these hearings in these locations to obtain feedback on the proposed rules from Lake Superior stakeholders.
Preston D. Cole, Secretary
Date Submitted
