The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is accepting public comments on proposed changes that would change the daily northern pike limit, close sections of rivers in St. Lawrence County from March 16 until the beginning of walleye season and Clarify that St. Lawrence River tributaries.

Comments on freshwater fishing regulation changes will be accepted through Oct. 7, Commissioner Basil Seggos says. The new regulations would take effect April 2017.

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

The proposals include:

• Reduce the daily limit from five to three northern pike for St. Lawrence River and define boundary between Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

• Close two short sections of Fish Creek and Indian River in St. Lawrence County to fishing from March 16 until the opening of walleye season.

• Close a section of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County to all fishing from March 16 until the opening of walleye season.

• Clarify that St. Lawrence River tributaries in Franklin and Clinton counties are exempt from Great Lakes regulations.

• Several non-substantive regulation modifications are also proposed to remove duplicate regulations and to make structural changes designed to allow for easier modification of regulations in the future.

“I encourage anglers to review what is being proposed and provide input during the public comment period,” he said.

DEC assessed the status of existing freshwater sportfish populations and the desires of anglers in developing these proposed regulations.

Many of the proposed changes are the result of an effort to consolidate regulations and eliminate special regulations that are no longer warranted or have become outdated.

The new freshwater sportfishing regulations are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2017. Once enacted, the new regulations will be included in the 2017-18 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide.

The proposed regulations were first provided for informal public review on the DEC website in February 2016. The early feedback helped DEC determine which regulation changes to advance or eliminate.

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

The full text of the proposed regulations are also available on DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html.: