12. All other information called for on the report form.
(ah) All A licensee shall report all fishing activities for the day under par. (ad), including the estimated pounds of each fish species caught required pursuant to par. (f) and the weighed catch by species for commercial fish, shall be reported before 11:59 p.m. of each day during which the licensee engages in on-water fishing activity. Reports shall be submitted in the English language on electronic forms provided for this purpose by the department and include such information as may be deemed necessary by the department for management of the fishery and to prevent depletion of the fish supply. The Except as provided under par. (c), the daily report shall be submitted using an electronic communication device operated by the licensee or a licensee’s crew member. The daily fishing report, which may include a record of the report on an electronic communication device, shall accompany the fish to the dock or shore and be made available to a department representative upon request.
(ap) At the request of the licensee, the The department shall issue unique login credentials to the licensee and, upon request of the licensee, to any licensee crew member in order to access the electronic fish reporting system and submit reports. Unique login credentials shall be assigned to each person for whom login credentials are requested. A person shall only enter or submit a record into the electronic fish reporting system using their own department issued login credentials.
Section 10 NR 25.13 (2) (at) is created to read:
NR 25.13 (2) (at) The licensee or member of the licensee’s crew may submit the report in any of the following ways:
1. By direct input through an electronic communication device to the electronic fish reporting system after completing the last net lift of the day but before starting for the dock or shore, and no later than 11:59 p.m. that same day.
2. By recording all required information on a daily paper report form supplied by the department after completing the last net lift of the day but before starting for the dock or shore, then submitting this information through an electronic communication device to the electronic fish reporting system no later than 11:59 p.m. that same day.
Section 11 NR 25.13 (2) (c) is amended to read:
NR 25.13 (2) (c) If the electronic communication device malfunctions or is unable to connect to the electronic fish reporting system, the licensee or a licensee’s crew member shall immediately notify the department by calling a designated phone number or by submitting an email message to a designated email address. The licensee or licensee’s crew member shall complete a paper copy of the biweekly report for that day after completing the last net lift of the day but before starting for the dock or shore, and before 11:59 p.m. the same day. The paper copy of the fishing report shall accompany the fish to dock or shore. After each trip’s information has been recorded, the report may not be transported for the rest of the day in such a way that it can be altered except to record information pertaining to additional fishing trips taken that day. Upon reestablishing the functionality of the electronic communication device or reestablishing connection with the electronic fish reporting system, the licensee or licensee’s crew member shall enter the daily fishing activity information and information from any paper reports completed under this paragraph and shall submit itthem electronically to the department. The paper copy of the biweekly report shall be retained as part of the licensee’s records required under s. 29.519 (5) (dm), Stats., and made available to a department representative upon request. Section 12 NR 25.13 (2) (c) (second note) is repealed.
Section 13 NR 25.13 (2) (c) (third note) is amended to read:
NR 25.13 (2) (c) Note: Biweekly fishing Paper report forms are provided by the department to each licensee at the beginning of the license year. Additional forms may be obtained by writing: DNR, 110 South Neenah Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235.
Section 14 NR 25.13 (2) (e) is amended to read:
NR 25.13 (2) (e) Except for reporting trawl fish harvest pursuant to under par. (g), when the landed catch cannot be weighed by the end of the day, the licensee or crew member shall call a department designated telephone number or submit an email message to a department designated email address before 11:59 p.m. that day and notify the department of the licensee's name, commercial fishing license number or fleet reporting number, species of fish, and estimated pounds of each species and note in the comment box of the report form submitted under this section that the landed catch cannot be weighed and reported until the next business day. The licensee or crew member shall then weigh the landed catch the next business day and report the weight by fish species and other information required by the department on the form of the electronic fish reporting system before 11:59 pm of that day.
Section 15 NR 25.13 (2) (f) is repealed and recreated to read:
NR 25.13 (2) (f) In addition to the other requirements in this subsection, each person required to be licensed under s. 29.519 (1m), Stats., to conduct commercial whitefish fishing operations on Lake Michigan or Green Bay, or a member of the licensee’s crew, shall report the name of the lifted trap net pursuant to s. NR 25.09 (3) (f) to the department after lifting the trap net and before starting for the dock or shore through the electronic fish reporting system in accordance with par. (at). Section 16 NR 25.13 (10) and (11) (intro.) are amended to read:
(10) High value species. In addition to the reporting requirements contained in subs. (1) and under sub. (2), when fishing for a high value species, each commercial fisher or designated crew member shall file a float plan each day prior to the start of the day’s fishing activity by calling a department designated telephone number.
(11) Enhanced reporting. In addition to the reporting requirements contained in subs. (1) and under sub. (2), any person convicted of 2 or more violations of s. 29.503 or 29.519, Stats., or this chapter is subject to the enhanced reporting requirements of this section in addition to any court-ordered penalties, at the following levels: Section 17. Effective Date. This rule takes effect on the first day of the month following publication in the Wisconsin Administrative Register as provided in s. 227.22 (2) (intro.), Stats. Section 18. Board adoption. This rule was approved and adopted by the State of Wisconsin Natural Resources Board on January 26, 2022.
Dated at Madison, Wisconsin _____________________________.
STATE OF WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
BY ______________________________________
For Preston D. Cole, Secretary
