Fishing opener/Crackdown on AIS

[Rebel SS]

I just don't think it's up to Deputies to now be inspecting boats and issuing tickets  for AIS......that's not really their job, IMO. One class in AIS does not make them an expert.
Just my .02.....


https://www.kaaltv.com/news/fishing-opener-brings-crackdown-on-invasive-species---albert-lea/5328949/?cat=10151

[Jerkbiat]

I would have to agree with you Rebs.

[Gunner55]

Me too, we've got a past president of the lake association that's done a lot of training with the DNR & actually works with the area AIS guy that we can call if we see anything looking weird. I know of 1 ticket written here last season for attempting to launch with some Zeebs on the trailer from the the year before. It wasn't written by a Deputy though but it wasn't a cheap ticket either

[Leech~~]

Darn boater THUGS! 

Once you throw a few up against a gunwale and crack a few sculls may be they will learn to drain that livewell! 

[Gunner55]

Since it happened last year we've learned that since most all the boats here only go in & out of this lake that there's a General Permit to Transport Watercraft Form available through the DNR site you can fill out & they won't ticket you for transporting AIS down the road. Just about every weekend from Opener to Labor Day there's someone monitoring the PA, usually it's someone on the lake working for the county but sometimes it's a DNR intern. From what I understand the person working for the county can't write a ticket but the DNR intern can. There's also a grant available from the county that the lake association matches so we have a Decon Unit at the PA just about every weekend & when the county unit isn't there the DNR unit usually is.