04-05-2004, 06:28 PM
ST. PAUL, MN--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is contacting operators of large and small private aquaculture facilities in hopes of purchasing about 40,000 additional pounds of walleye fingerlings this fall to help increase stocking in the state's lakes.
Since Minnesota's Accelerated Walleye Program, designed to increase walleye stocking efforts, was fully funded in 2000, the DNR has stocked an average of about 134,000 pounds of fingerlings each year.
Beginning this year, the goal for walleye fingerling stocking will be increased to 160,000 pounds or approximately 3 to 3.5 million fish per year as part of the program.
The DNR says it will also purchase 8,000 muskie fingerlings, 2,000 tiger muskie fingerlings and 5,000 sturgeon fingerlings this fall.
Only private fish hatcheries or aquatic farms licensed by the Minnesota DNR are eligible to bid. Persons interested in bidding on DNR fish purchases should contact Roy Johannes at (651) 296-3325 for more information.
In related news, the Wisconsin DNR says recent budget cuts to its fisheries program will mean several lakes and streams in southeast Wisconsin that are usually regularly stocked with legal, or almost legal, trout will not be stocked this year.
DNR officials say 16 lakes and streams in six Wisconsin counties will not be stocked with trout during 2004. In past years, the waters were stocked with 500-5,000 trout, depending on size.
Legal-sized trout will still be available to anglers fishing ponds stocked under the state's Urban Fishing Program. The 55 ponds, located throughout southeast Wisconsin, will receive about 80,000 trout.
Urban fishing waters have a special fishing season open only to youth and disabled anglers through April 23. Up-to-date stocking information for these urban ponds is available by calling the Urban Fishing Hotline at (888) FISH-LNE or 414-263-8494. Several urban ponds will hold kids' fishing clinics on April 17. Check with your local DNR Service Center for the times and locations of these clinics.
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Since Minnesota's Accelerated Walleye Program, designed to increase walleye stocking efforts, was fully funded in 2000, the DNR has stocked an average of about 134,000 pounds of fingerlings each year.
Beginning this year, the goal for walleye fingerling stocking will be increased to 160,000 pounds or approximately 3 to 3.5 million fish per year as part of the program.
The DNR says it will also purchase 8,000 muskie fingerlings, 2,000 tiger muskie fingerlings and 5,000 sturgeon fingerlings this fall.
Only private fish hatcheries or aquatic farms licensed by the Minnesota DNR are eligible to bid. Persons interested in bidding on DNR fish purchases should contact Roy Johannes at (651) 296-3325 for more information.
In related news, the Wisconsin DNR says recent budget cuts to its fisheries program will mean several lakes and streams in southeast Wisconsin that are usually regularly stocked with legal, or almost legal, trout will not be stocked this year.
DNR officials say 16 lakes and streams in six Wisconsin counties will not be stocked with trout during 2004. In past years, the waters were stocked with 500-5,000 trout, depending on size.
Legal-sized trout will still be available to anglers fishing ponds stocked under the state's Urban Fishing Program. The 55 ponds, located throughout southeast Wisconsin, will receive about 80,000 trout.
Urban fishing waters have a special fishing season open only to youth and disabled anglers through April 23. Up-to-date stocking information for these urban ponds is available by calling the Urban Fishing Hotline at (888) FISH-LNE or 414-263-8494. Several urban ponds will hold kids' fishing clinics on April 17. Check with your local DNR Service Center for the times and locations of these clinics.
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