Yellow Perch

[Fish Nut]

Yellow Perch — Commercial Fishery

Fisheries Service staff met with the commercial yellow perch permit holders on July 8, 2014 to discuss potential adjustments/changes to the management of the commercial fishery. This meeting was requested by the permit holders at the April 2014 TFAC meeting.

CHANGE: Change the season end date from March 10 to April 1.

RATIONALE: The industry requested a change to the season end date that would provide more opportunity to harvest the annual commercial quota. In 2013 and 2014 32% and 27% of the commercial quota was not harvested. Based on outcomes of the July 8 meeting, the Department is considering changing the season end date from March 10 to April 1. Minimal user conflicts are expected with this change due to existing upriver fyke net exclusionary areas.

CHANGE: Live market tagging requirements were also discussed at the July 8 meeting. Two options were discussed: 1) Either remove the tag requirement (currently they must return unused tags that would have been on each fish) or 2) Maintain the tag requirement, but not charge for the tags since the tags are immediately returned, unused, to the Department.

RATIONALE: Under the current system, individuals marketing live yellow perch must purchase tags from the Department and then return the unused tags when fish are harvested. Live market catch must be validated by DNR employees upon landing (DNR staff provide documentation to the harvester at landing), so purchasing and then immediately returning tags without use seems superfluous. Removing the tagging requirement would not result in the loss of accountability.

OUTSTANDING CHANGES: Other outstanding yellow perch changes that were previously scoped are the declaration period alignment with commercial license renewal and minor changes to the coordinates in the Northeast and Elk Rivers.

F

Result:F