Walleye harvest cut by 140,000 pounds

[rchaze60]

State anglers can take 307,500 pounds in 2008
The state walleye harvest on Mille Lacs will be 140,000 pounds less than last year. After a meeting of the 1837 Treaty Fisheries Committee on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 23 and 24, the total harvest was set at 430,000 pounds, compared to 549,000 pounds in 2007.

The state's anglers will be able to take 307,500 pounds, compared to 449,000 pounds last year. The tribal allocation is 122,500 compared to 100,000 pounds last year.

The plan has not yet been approved by DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. That approval is expected within the next few weeks, DNR treaty biologist Patrick Schmalz said.

A Mille Lacs Lake input meeting will be held in the early part of February, Schmalz said. The DNR fishery staff has only just begun evaluating the regulations options.

Winter creel survey reports are currently in progress, Schmalz said. While many anglers are reporting underwater cameras show clouds of little perch, the walleye harvest appears to be down, he added.

"The creel clerks are not seeing a lot of fish caught," Schmalz said.

The 1837 treaty fisheries committee is comprised of members from the Minnesota DNR including the Aitkin and St. Paul office staffs, representatives from the Great Lakes Indian fish and Wildlife commission and representatives from various tribal bands.