Update: Cass Lake Spearing Ban

[Kevin Cochran]

This was ran in the Cass Lake Times newspaper recently:

City supports repeal of icehouse spearing ban
Written by HILLARY BARRON
It’s been approximately 20 years since the ban of icehouse spearing on Cass Lake went into affect. Now, area business owners and residents are fighting to repeal that ban in an effort to help boost the local economy.

In 1988, the company Muskie International led the campaign to ban spear fishing due to the endangerment of muskie populations within the Cass Lake water system. Through extensive lobbying at the State Capitol, the ban was supported and passed by Minnesota politicians.

Area business owners, residents and organizations such as the Cass Lake Initiative for Spearing (CLIFS), are trying to lift the ban in the same way it was passed and have started by approaching local governments for letters of support. The city of Cass Lake was one of the local governmental entities that was approached.

At its January meeting, the Cass Lake city council moved to draft a letter of support regarding the issue.

Following is the letter of support submitted to CLIFS to be used for its lobbying efforts at the State Capitol:

The Cass Lake City Council discussed the issue of the Icehouse Spearing Restriction on Cass Lake in Northern Minnesota.

The City Council requests that you accept this letter as “support” for the re-opening of icehouse spearing on Cass Lake.

We believe that this action will not adversely affect the indigenous fish populations on Cass Lake and would actually be beneficial to the entire area.

As you know, the Cass Lake area relies heavily on tourism to support its local economy. Allowing spearing on Cass Lake would help the local economy by increased fishermen purchasing gas, food and lodging in the area, in addition to experience the beautiful winter scenery the Cass Lake area has to offer.

We would ask that you consider passing legislation to re-open icehouse spearing on Cass Lake.

“This is something we need for the area,” said Councilor Rick Haaland. “It has the potential to bring in a lot of money to local businesses and our town needs that.”

[Kevin Cochran]

This was also ran in the Cass Lake Times recently:

Cass Lake Chamber issues official statement on spear fishing ban
Written by ALLAN OLSON
While the Cass Lake Chamber of Commerce met last week with a full agenda to discuss, including its two winter activities, members also spent some time discussing its stand on lifting the ban on spear fishing on Cass Lake.

The discussion was held during the meeting on whether the chamber should actively support the organization, Cass Lake Initiative For Spearing (CLIFS), that is heading up the process on lifting the ban. Spearing has been closed on Cass Lake since 1988 due largely to a Muskie International campaign to ban spear fishing on Cass because the muskie population was in danger.

The chamber has been flooded with phone calls and emails, mostly against spearing.

The chamber stance on the debate is that it is not in charge of the drive to re-open spearing and neither is it against it.

The chamber board also stated that it is supportive of anything positive that creates and/or develops economic growth in the area.

Virkus along with other board members have prepared the following official statement regarding spearing.

The Cass Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is an association of business persons and merchants who work together to promote the prosperity and attractiveness of the greater area by representation of its citizens and business community.

Currently they are an organization of 100-plus businesses in the Cass Lake area. The objective of the Chamber is to promote these organizations in order to bring economic growth to the area.

The Chamber cannot lift the ban on spear fishing. This is a legislative issue which must be undertaken by our politicians in the Minnesota House and Senate. The Chamber, itself, does not support lifting the ban of spear fishing on Cass Lake nor does it support retaining the ban of spear fishing on Cass Lake. The individual members of the organization have a right to their own opinion regarding the lifting of the ban on spear fishing.

Furthermore, the Chamber is not affiliated with CLIFS. This is an organization formed by area residents promoting to lift the ban of spear fishing on Cass Lake.

Cass Lake chamber member, The Cass Lake Times, has posted a poll on its Web site. To make your opinion known go to casslaketimes.com.

[AWH]

Thanks for posting this info, Kevin. I know the initial ban was put in place due to muskies. And as much as I don't want to see any accidental (or intentional) spearing of muskies, I think the real issue today is the northern pike fishery. Cass is one of the few lakes we have in the state that has a healthy population of large pike, which in turn helps maintain a healthy fishery for all species. Spearing would have an adverse effect on this.

And I am not someone that is against spearing. I am all for spearers having opportunities to do what they enjoy, and they have no shortage of these opportunities. But when we have the ability to put some added protection on a few lakes (like we are currently doing on Cass with the spearing ban), there's no good reason we should not continue to do this.

Aaron