NR 20.40(5)(a)(a) The department shall accept permit applications for traditional fishing tournaments beginning on January 1 of the year preceding the tournament. NR 20.40(5)(b)(b) The department shall accept permit applications for tournaments that are not traditional fishing tournaments beginning on April 1 of the year preceding the tournament. NR 20.40(5)(c)(c) All permit applications and application fees must be received by the department at least 30 days prior to the start of the tournament. The department may review permit applications received within 30 days of the tournament start date if the applicant pays a late fee in addition to the application fee which shall be equal to the application fee specified under sub. (4). If the department is unable to review a late application, the application fee will be returned to the applicant. NR 20.40(5)(d)(d) The department shall approve or deny permit applications on a first come first served basis in compliance with the limits in subs. (7) and (8). NR 20.40(6)(a)(a) All participants in a permitted fishing tournament shall comply with all provisions of the permit. NR 20.40(6)(b)(b) If a participant fails to comply with the permit, the violating participant shall promptly be disqualified and expelled from the tournament by the organizer. NR 20.40(6)(c)(c) All organizers of a permitted fishing tournament shall comply with all permit terms and conditions and the rules of this section and shall take adequate measures to ensure that all participants comply with all provisions of the permit. The organizer of a permitted fishing tournament shall provide each participant a copy of the permit conditions and rules specific to the fishing tournament along with potential penalties for noncompliance prior to any participant being allowed to participate in the tournament. NR 20.40(6)(d)(d) Notwithstanding par. (b), the department may take other appropriate enforcement action against a participant or organizer found to be in violation of this chapter or ch. 29, Stats. NR 20.40(7)(7) Limits on size and number of fishing tournaments. The size and number of permitted fishing tournaments allowed on a water body may not exceed the following limits except in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, and Lake Winnebago where there are no limits on the size and number of permitted fishing tournaments. Traditional fishing tournaments may be permitted to exceed the limits established in this subsection up to the maximum level of participation or boat days associated with that tournament in the past 5 years. Bass fishing tournaments with fewer than 20 boats will not be included in the maximum daily number of boats allowed on open water, the maximum monthly number of permitted fishing tournament boat days, the maximum daily number of concurrent permitted fishing tournaments, or the maximum number of permitted fishing tournaments per month on rivers. NR 20.40(7)(a)(a) The following monthly limits on permitted fishing tournament size, number, and total boat days are based on lake acreage are outlined in the table below. NR 20.40(7)(b)(b) Open water fishing tournaments on lakes or lake chains smaller than 100 acres may be permitted if the department finds that the tournament: NR 20.40(7)(b)1.1. Will promote public awareness of fishing and the state’s resources and conforms to the best management practices for the lake; or NR 20.40(7)(c)(c) The following shall apply to fishing tournaments permitted for any combination of lakes within a chain of interconnected lakes: NR 20.40(7)(c)1.1. Permitted fishing tournaments may engage in fishing activities in lake chains or connected lakes but the tournament organizer must select a lake where the primary fishing activity or weigh-in will take place. NR 20.40(7)(c)2.2. The availability of permits will be based on the acreage of the lake selected in subd. 1. as outlined in par. (a). NR 20.40(7)(d)(d) For boundary water lakes, the limits on the number of permitted fishing contests shall be determined based on the Wisconsin acreage. NR 20.40(7)(e)(e) For flowages and impoundments of rivers, the limits in par. (a) shall include tributaries upstream to the first dam or road crossing unless otherwise specified in the permit. NR 20.40(7)(f)1.1. The maximum number of permitted fishing tournaments per month on the Mississippi River, Lake St. Croix, St. Croix River, Wisconsin River, Fox River and Wolf River are outlined in the following table. NR 20.40(7)(f)2.2. Fishing tournament waters identified in the permit for Mississippi River pools are limited to no more than 3 pools where each pool is separated by a lock and dam. NR 20.40(7)(f)2m.2m. Fishing tournaments permitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are authorized to operate in Wisconsin portions of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters under the regulations specified in the Minnesota permit. NR 20.40 NoteNote: Under s. 29.403 (1m), Stats., a bass tournament permitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources may cull largemouth and smallmouth bass in Wisconsin portions of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters. Culling is not allowed in Minnesota waters of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters at the time this rule was drafted. Tournaments authorized by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources may not cull in Minnesota waters unless authorized by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. NR 20.40(7)(f)3.3. No more than 2 permitted fishing tournaments per month, not to exceed 4 days combined, may be issued for any 10 mile segment of a river not listed in subd. 1., as defined in the permit. If any portion of river permitted overlaps with a previously permitted portion of the same river, it shall be considered the same segment. Segment boundaries shall be readily identifiable features as close to 10 miles apart as possible.
