X

DEC proposes increasing minimum size for muskies, modifying trout regulations for Star Lake, Trout Lake, Sylvia Lake

Posted 10/15/14

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing a number of changes to freshwater fishing regulations that would affect St. Lawrence County. Among the proposed changes are increasing …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

DEC proposes increasing minimum size for muskies, modifying trout regulations for Star Lake, Trout Lake, Sylvia Lake

Posted

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing a number of changes to freshwater fishing regulations that would affect St. Lawrence County.

Among the proposed changes are increasing the minimum size for muskies, establishing a daily creel limit of five fish, modifying trout regulations for Star Lake and Trout Lake, and establishing a year-round trout season on Sylvia Lake.

Comments on the proposed changes are being accepted through through Dec. 1. The full text of the proposed regulations are also available on DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html.

The proposed changes include:

• Increasing the minimum size limit for muskellunge to 54 inches in the St. Lawrence River, Niagara River, Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River;

• Providing consistency between the proposed statewide muskellunge regulation changes and the existing muskellunge regulations for specific waters including Lake Champlain, and St. Lawrence County rivers and streams, as well as for both muskellunge and tiger muskellunge at Chautauqua Lake;

• Establishing a special trout regulation of a daily creel limit of five fish with no more than two fish longer than 12 inches, in St. Lawrence, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis and counties, including Little River and Oswegatchie River in St. Lawrence County.

• Modifying trout and/or salmon regulations for Star Lake and Trout Lake in St. Lawrence County, by increasing the minimum size limit for trout to 12 inches and reducing the daily creel limit to three. Allow fishing all year for landlocked salmon in Star Lake, with ice fishing permitted;

• Establishing an open year-round trout season for Sylvia Lake in St. Lawrence County, with a 12-inch minimum size limit and three fish daily creel limit, with ice fishing permitted;

• Clarifying in regulation a definition for “catch and release fishing” as well as define the limitations of handling the incidental catch of untargeted species.

Several changes to eliminate special regulations that are no longer warranted, and where the statewide regulations can be applied include to:

• Eliminate the special regulations (examples being minimum size limit, daily creel limit, season length and/or method of take) for trout, landlocked salmon and/or lake trout, at several waters including Cold Brook and West Branch of the St. Regis River in St. Lawrence County;

Proposed changes that are Baitfish and non-game fish related include to:

Proposed changes related to gear and use of gear include:

DEC modifies the sportfishing regulations approximately every two years as part of DEC’s commitment to enhance fishing opportunities and protect the State’s freshwater resources.

DEC assessed the status of existing freshwater sportfish populations and the desires of anglers in developing the proposed regulations. In addition, many of the proposed changes are the result of DEC’s efforts to consolidate regulations where possible and eliminate special regulations that are no longer warranted or have become outdated.

“New York provides some of the best fishing in the nation, and the continuous assessment and modification of sportfishing regulations helps ensure that this remains the case,” said Commissioner Joe Martens. “I encourage anglers to review what is being proposed and provide input if they wish to do so during the public comment period.”

The new sportfishing regulations are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2015. The regulations in the 2013-14 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide will remain in effect until the new regulations are enacted. Once enacted, a new regulations guide will be available.

To receive input early in the process, DEC made the proposed changes available to the public on its website in July 2013. The early feedback helped DEC determine which regulation changes to advance further or to eliminate from further consideration.

Comments on the proposals can be sent by email to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.