The New York State DEC is currently accepting public comment regarding a series of proposed changes to freshwater sport fishing regulations—some of which would effect local waters.
Among the proposed changes include the opening of Blue Mountain Lake, Eagle Lake, Forked Lake, Gilman Lake, South Pond and Utowana Lake—all located in Hamilton County—to ice fishing for landlocked salmon and reducing the daily limit for lake trout from three to two per day.
Combined with an existing regulation, this change will create a suite of nine lakes in the county that will have the same ice fishing regulations for lake trout and landlocked salmon.Another proposed change includes establishing a special walleye regulation of 18-inch minimum size and three per day in Lake Pleasant and Sacandaga Lake—also in Hamilton County—which the DEC hopes will aid in the restoration of walleye populations in these waters.
In order to protect spawning walleye, the DEC has also proposed a ban on fishing from March 16 until the first Saturday in May for the Lake Pleasant outlet to the mouth of the Kunjamuk River in Hamilton County, parts of Little Sandy Creek (Oswego County), and Catskill Creek (Greene County) from the Route 9W bridge upstream to the dam in Leeds.
The DEC also proposes to open specific waters in the counties of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida and St. Lawrence to ice fishing that were previously deemed trout waters.
The purpose of setting seasons, according to the DEC, is to prevent over-exploitation of fish populations during vulnerable periods such as spawning, thereby ensuring a healthy population.
Size limits are necessary to maintain quality fisheries and to ensure that adequate numbers survive to spawning age.
Comments on the proposals can be sent via e-mail to: fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us, or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State DEC, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.
Comments must be made in writing and must be submitted according to the instructions provided on the DEC website. Deadline for submissions is April 2, 2012.
Final regulations, following full review of public commentary, will take effect October 1, 2012.
