Fred Snyder-OH Sea Grant
04-05-2007, 11:16 AM
The Ohio Division of Wildlife has announced that an Executive Order will immediately lower the yellow perch bag limit on Lake Erie from 40 fish per day to 30 fish per day, effective Monday, April 9, 2007. In explaining the need for this reduction, the Division made the following points:
Ohios perch quota in 2007 is 34% lower than that from 2006, reflecting recent scientific assessments of perch abundance in Lake Erie that were lower than expected.
Reducing the bag limit will bring the expected Ohio sport catch in line with its quota allocation.
The reason that we are not following our normal rule-making schedule (typically done the fall before the fishing season) is because data in-hand last fall did not indicate declines of this magnitude in the 2007 quota.
Commercial quota allocations to Ohio netters will be similarly reduced before their season opens May 1(no rule change is required).
Reducing the bag limit and commercial quota allocation in 2007 is a responsible management action to address a decline in perch abundance in Lake Erie.
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Information on the reduced perch quota allocation was not available when the 2007 regulations were written last summer, so the 2007 Ohio fishing regulations brochure will erroneously list the daily bag limit as 40 fish per day.
Help get the word out -- as of Monday, April 9, the Ohio yellow perch bag limit drops to 30 fish per day.
Ohios perch quota in 2007 is 34% lower than that from 2006, reflecting recent scientific assessments of perch abundance in Lake Erie that were lower than expected.
Reducing the bag limit will bring the expected Ohio sport catch in line with its quota allocation.
The reason that we are not following our normal rule-making schedule (typically done the fall before the fishing season) is because data in-hand last fall did not indicate declines of this magnitude in the 2007 quota.
Commercial quota allocations to Ohio netters will be similarly reduced before their season opens May 1(no rule change is required).
Reducing the bag limit and commercial quota allocation in 2007 is a responsible management action to address a decline in perch abundance in Lake Erie.
*************************************************
Information on the reduced perch quota allocation was not available when the 2007 regulations were written last summer, so the 2007 Ohio fishing regulations brochure will erroneously list the daily bag limit as 40 fish per day.
Help get the word out -- as of Monday, April 9, the Ohio yellow perch bag limit drops to 30 fish per day.