05-18-2011, 11:10 AM
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced today that the state's 2011 paddlefish snagging harvest season has been closed to protect the paddlefish population level.
The 2010-12 fishing proclamation allows for the Game and Fish Department director to close the snagging season early if it appears more than 1,000 paddlefish will be harvested. If the season had remained open through the intended closing date of May 31, the harvest cap of 1,000 fish would have been exceeded substantially, putting additional pressure on the existing population.
An additional snag-and-release season will run for a seven-day period from Wednesday, May 18 through Tuesday, May 24. Effective Wednesday, May 18 snag-and-release is legal only in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp then east (downstream) one-half mile, and that area of the Missouri River starting on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River then east (downstream) one-half mile. Both areas have boundary signs.
Paddlefish snaggers with an unused paddlefish tag can continue snagging, but must release all fish immediately. Snaggers who already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish are not allowed to participate in the additional snag-and-release period. For potential new snaggers, existing paddlefish tag vendors still have tags available for sale during this additional snag-and-release season.
Paddlefish snagging is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (CDT) during each day of the additional seven-day season. No gaffs may be used.
The 2010-12 fishing proclamation allows for the Game and Fish Department director to close the snagging season early if it appears more than 1,000 paddlefish will be harvested. If the season had remained open through the intended closing date of May 31, the harvest cap of 1,000 fish would have been exceeded substantially, putting additional pressure on the existing population.
An additional snag-and-release season will run for a seven-day period from Wednesday, May 18 through Tuesday, May 24. Effective Wednesday, May 18 snag-and-release is legal only in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp then east (downstream) one-half mile, and that area of the Missouri River starting on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River then east (downstream) one-half mile. Both areas have boundary signs.
Paddlefish snaggers with an unused paddlefish tag can continue snagging, but must release all fish immediately. Snaggers who already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish are not allowed to participate in the additional snag-and-release period. For potential new snaggers, existing paddlefish tag vendors still have tags available for sale during this additional snag-and-release season.
Paddlefish snagging is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (CDT) during each day of the additional seven-day season. No gaffs may be used.