Kevin Lee
02-02-2009, 11:15 PM
Our local fisheries biologist Mike Herman took the time to answer/respond to some of the concerns and comments made on the board about dropping the 23 inch slot limit here on Little Bay de Noc. He then sent a document with his answers/responces to Chris Wahl. He told Chris he could post it on the board if he wanted. Chris then sent the document to me because he could not figure out how to post it. Well, I've been having a devil of a time too!!! I could not copy and paste because the document has over 28,000 characters and the board has limit of 10,000 per post/reply. So I broke the document up into 5 parts. If anyone wants to leave more comments, please feel free to do so...
"Chris, at the extreme risk of sounding overly “defensive”, I would like to attempt to clear up some of the obvious confusion created by the discussion we are having regarding the “one over 23 inch” walleye regulation in LBDN. If you wish to post this, you certainly have my permission to do so as I would like to have the opportunity to communicate with those who have taken the time to express themselves about this issue. I apologize up front for the length of this but I wanted to present a comprehensive document and attempt to address all of the major concerns."
When I first arrived in Escanaba in 2001 as the new area fish manager, I reviewed all of the regulations for the entire management unit to assure myself that we had reasonable regulations that fit the fisheries we manage. One of the regulations on my “hit” list back in 2001 was this one. After confirming with our research staff that the one over 23” regulation was unnecessary, I proposed to the local sports clubs that we get rid of it. I have known these fish researchers for a very long time and I trust their data and their judgement when it comes to the fisheries in LBDN since some of these folks have been working on the population dynamics of walleye in LBDN for much of their careers. At any rate, since there was so much opposition to eliminating this regulation from the sportsmen in 2001, I dropped the issue.
Don’t shoot the messenger. A few months ago, I was approached by one of the members of the Bays de Noc Great Lakes Sportfishermen and was asked to attend one of their upcoming meetings. I was told at that time by this club officer that “we need to get rid of the one over 23 inch regulation in LBDN”. Although this change of heart surprised me, it also was gratifying to me as a fish manager that the local sports group has finally realized what I had brought to them before was the right thing to do. After attending the GLSF meeting on January 13 and making the presentation that justifies this action and after hearing Jerry Peterson (the clubs consulting biologist) support elimination of this regulation, I felt confident we would be able to move forward with the regulation change. There were several individuals at this same meeting who expressed their opposition but you will never make everyone happy when “change” to anything is involved.
So, here we are. Some are for the change, some are against. Recently, the GLSF has announced that they do not now support this change. The reason that the “one over 23 inch regulation” is on the table is largely because the club initially wanted it changed. Please don’t attack the DNR because the local club had a change of heart. If you believe the science behind this proposal, we’re good to go. If you do not, then we’ll agree to disagree about this one. I do not recall a time in my career here that I gave any of you reason to distrust me. Make no mistake about it, I know who I work for. It is all of you as well as all of the anglers who visit the waters I am responsible for. I am an angler just like you and I would never do anything to jeopardize the great walleye fishery we have here in LBDN or anywhere else.
Below is my attempt to address your recent “posts” in the best way I know how. Some of the information in your posts is simply not correct and I have done my best to clarify these issues. These comments are word for word right from the fishing report board and my comments are in blue following the post. If any of you would like to discuss this or any other fisheries management issue, I cordially invite you to email, call or visit me in person.
Respectfully,
Michael Herman, Supervisor
Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit
6833 US Hwy 2
Gladstone, MI 49837-2552
906-786-2351 x127
hermanm@michigan.gov
"Chris, at the extreme risk of sounding overly “defensive”, I would like to attempt to clear up some of the obvious confusion created by the discussion we are having regarding the “one over 23 inch” walleye regulation in LBDN. If you wish to post this, you certainly have my permission to do so as I would like to have the opportunity to communicate with those who have taken the time to express themselves about this issue. I apologize up front for the length of this but I wanted to present a comprehensive document and attempt to address all of the major concerns."
When I first arrived in Escanaba in 2001 as the new area fish manager, I reviewed all of the regulations for the entire management unit to assure myself that we had reasonable regulations that fit the fisheries we manage. One of the regulations on my “hit” list back in 2001 was this one. After confirming with our research staff that the one over 23” regulation was unnecessary, I proposed to the local sports clubs that we get rid of it. I have known these fish researchers for a very long time and I trust their data and their judgement when it comes to the fisheries in LBDN since some of these folks have been working on the population dynamics of walleye in LBDN for much of their careers. At any rate, since there was so much opposition to eliminating this regulation from the sportsmen in 2001, I dropped the issue.
Don’t shoot the messenger. A few months ago, I was approached by one of the members of the Bays de Noc Great Lakes Sportfishermen and was asked to attend one of their upcoming meetings. I was told at that time by this club officer that “we need to get rid of the one over 23 inch regulation in LBDN”. Although this change of heart surprised me, it also was gratifying to me as a fish manager that the local sports group has finally realized what I had brought to them before was the right thing to do. After attending the GLSF meeting on January 13 and making the presentation that justifies this action and after hearing Jerry Peterson (the clubs consulting biologist) support elimination of this regulation, I felt confident we would be able to move forward with the regulation change. There were several individuals at this same meeting who expressed their opposition but you will never make everyone happy when “change” to anything is involved.
So, here we are. Some are for the change, some are against. Recently, the GLSF has announced that they do not now support this change. The reason that the “one over 23 inch regulation” is on the table is largely because the club initially wanted it changed. Please don’t attack the DNR because the local club had a change of heart. If you believe the science behind this proposal, we’re good to go. If you do not, then we’ll agree to disagree about this one. I do not recall a time in my career here that I gave any of you reason to distrust me. Make no mistake about it, I know who I work for. It is all of you as well as all of the anglers who visit the waters I am responsible for. I am an angler just like you and I would never do anything to jeopardize the great walleye fishery we have here in LBDN or anywhere else.
Below is my attempt to address your recent “posts” in the best way I know how. Some of the information in your posts is simply not correct and I have done my best to clarify these issues. These comments are word for word right from the fishing report board and my comments are in blue following the post. If any of you would like to discuss this or any other fisheries management issue, I cordially invite you to email, call or visit me in person.
Respectfully,
Michael Herman, Supervisor
Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit
6833 US Hwy 2
Gladstone, MI 49837-2552
906-786-2351 x127
hermanm@michigan.gov