Open House Meetings for the Lake Superior Fisheries Management Plan

Open house meetings kick off review of draft Lake Superior fisheries plan

Revisions to a draft plan that will guide Minnesota's Lake Superior fisheries management in the coming decade will be the subject of three public meetings Dec. 13, 15, and 19th. Anyone interested in Lake Superior is encouraged to attend.

The draft plan was developed based on comments by Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries managers and the Lake Superior Advisory Group, a citizen's input group composed of representatives from fishing clubs, environmental groups, commercial fishers, Indian bands, and other interested individuals or organizations. The long-term goal of the proposed plan is: "To protect the Lake Superior ecosystem, restore its watershed, and manage for a diverse, stable, self-sustaining fish community that allows for recreational, commercial and tribal fishing opportunities."

"Using information gained from the previous plan and input from the public, these revisions will continue rehabilitation and sound management of the Lake Superior fish community," said Don Schreiner, Lake Superior area fisheries manager. "The final plan will be flexible. As the DNR acquires new information on the fishery, managers will meet with interested citizens to discuss any changes needed."

The open house meetings will be a forum to distribute, discuss and accept public comments on the plan, which is a revision of the 1995 Fisheries Management Plan for the Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior, developed by the DNR and the Lake Superior Advisory Group. At the open house meetings, there will be no formal presentations, but DNR staff will be on hand to discuss specific issues with individuals or small groups.

Meetings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

Dec. 13 - Roseville Public Library, 2180 Hamline Avenue North, Roseville

Dec. 15 - USEPA Lab, 6201 Congdon Boulevard, Duluth

Dec. 19 - Schroeder Town Hall, Schroeder

Copies of the plan will be available at each of the open house meetings, along with additional summary information. Copies of the draft plan and other supporting material will be posted online by Dec. 12 at: mndnr.gov/input/mgmtplans/.

Printed copies of the plan and supporting material will be available by Dec. 12 at: Lake Superior Area Fisheries Office, 5351 North Shore Drive, Duluth, MN 55804; Minnesota DNR Headquarters, Section of Fisheries, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4012.

Comments on the draft Lake Superior Fisheries Management Plan will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2006.

E-mail comments can be sent to Superior.Fisheries@state.mn.us.

Written comments can be mailed to: Lake Superior Area Fisheries, 5351 North Shore Drive, Duluth MN 55804.