State rules push anglers and wake boats into risky waters

To the Editor:

Aquatic Invasive Species: Is the Wisconsin DNR Fueling the Fire?

Recent discoveries of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in many Northern Wisconsin lakes raise an important question: Are state-level regulations — or the lack thereof — contributing to the spread of AIS?

Since the early 2000s, the state has spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars attempting to halt the spread of AIS. State efforts, spearheaded by the Clean Boats – Clean Waters Program (CBCW), have logged thousands of hours inspecting boats at landings and increasing public awareness. The DNR clearly recognizes that boat transfer from lake to lake is the primary cause of spreading AIS, and that the CBCW program is the top preventative measure. However, two specific areas of state regulation (or absence thereof) are undermining these efforts.

The Fishing Bag Limit Paradox 

At the state level, daily fish bag limits are published and enforced. However, hundreds of lakes have reduced, lake-specific bag limits, yet the larger statewide daily bag limit remains in effect. To legally catch their full daily quota, anglers are forced to travel to multiple lakes in a single day, significantly increasing the likelihood of spreading AIS.

Local Wake Boat Ordinances 

A lack of state-level wake boat regulations has led numerous municipalities to pass disjointed local restrictions. Most wake boats are multifunctional, used for everything from skiing and tubing to wakeboarding and surfing. Because local rules often restrict a boat’s equipment to prohibit surfing, wake boat owners who want to utilize their boats to surf are forced to transfer them to other lakes. Just like the daily fish bag limit, this condition increases the likelihood of transferring AIS between waterbodies. This problem will only grow as wake surfing has been rapidly increasing in popularity and is considered a growth engine by the boating industry.

The Wisconsin State Legislators need to get to work! 

Otto Novak

Presque Isle