07/09/2007 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Prairie Wetlands $2.3 million is provided for ac- celerating programs and efforts to preserve, restore and enhance grass- land /wetland complexes to meet the state's long -tern waterfowl and pheasant population goals, and to improve water quality. Forestry $20.8 million is provided for for- estry initiatives and improvements. $40,000 is appropriated for a grant to the University of Minnesota to prepare a statewide plan to address forest parcelization and fragmenta- tion. Hunting and Fishing Several measures that affect hunters and anglers were approved in 2007: • Walk -in Access — The DNR is directed to plan for a walk -in access program to encourage private landowners to make their land available for public hunting and fishing. The plan is due to legislative committees by Janu- ary 15, 2008. • "Immediate Release" Defined — DNR regulations state that fish caught illegally (out of season or within a protected slot limit) must be "immediately released" or "immediately returned to the water." New legislation defines what that means: a fish must not be kept longer than needed at the site of capture to unhook, identify, measure, or photo- graph a fish. Putting a fish on a stringer, in a live well or cooler, bucket or other container is not "immediately released" or "im- mediately returned to the water." • Night Vision Equipment — The possession of night vision equip- ment to take wild animals is prohibited. • Asian Carp — Anglers who catch an Asian carp, an invasive species, must report it to author- ities within seven days (includes grass carp, bighead carp and silver carp). • Crossbow Hunting — The use of crossbows is made legal during the regular firearms deer hunting season, with no special license required. The minimum draw weight is reduced from 40 to 30 pounds. • Lighted Decoys — The use of lighted decoys to spear fish is made legal. • Fishing License Year — The license year for resident and nonresident fishing licenses, the angling portion of a sporting license and resident and nonresi- dent (fish house) dark houses is set from March 1 through April 30 of the next year. Firewood restriction on state - managed land A new ban was put into effect on bringing non - approved firewood onto state - managed land in an ef- fort to prevent the spread of forest pests such as the emerald ash borer and gypsy moth, which are known to "hitchike" on firewood from infected areas. The use of wood from approved vendors is allowed. For more information, call the DNR Information Center at 1- 888 -647- 6367. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Administrative Regions orth • raeguu f NOR l 11 Wool Snell NMI IN Mid wco= 1•10 /MOM lhYiw.n• Wm MINIM �� 11YtwplMtit�MGF�!►tr�MrYl•��M _ /i•ta•ow�Aa! SAO 0 State Senator Sandy Rummel 323 State Capitol, St. Paul, MN 55155 - (651) 296 -1253 - sen.sandy.rummel @senate.mn