The Fishing Season Begins Saturday
Around a half-million people will be taking part in Saturday’s fishing opener. The DNR’s Adam Block encourages boaters to put safety first,”Make sure you have life jackets that are adequate size, and functioning shape and condition. We want to make sure other equipment is on board as required such as a horn or whistle to alert other boaters of your location. Also fire extinguishers if you have a water craft that has fuel.”
Starting this boating season, anyone found guilty of violating the state’s AIS (aquatic invasive species) laws will not only have to pay the required fines, but will also have to complete mandatory “Clean In Clean Out” training. The DNR’s April Rust says the course is short, “about 20 minutes long, on-line that’s required of anyone that’s convicted of violating Minnesota’s aquatic invasive species law.”
Anyone wanting a refresher course on the state’s AIS laws are also encouraged to go on-line and review the “Clean In Clean Out” training. The DNR’s Heidi Wolf explains the reason behind the new program, “We only have about 5% of our water bodies that are infested with any AIS and we are hoping to keep the 95% AIS free.”
The fishing opener begins on Saturday, May 13. To get a regional fishing outlook visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources page: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/outlooks.html
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