1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to game and fish; providing for northern pike management; requiring 
1.3 	rulemaking; requiring a report;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 
1.4 	97C.401, subdivision 2.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 97C.401, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 2.Walleye; northern pike. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a person 
1.8 	may have no more than one walleye larger than 20 inches and one northern pike larger 
1.9 	than 30 inches in possession.
1.10 	(b) The restrictions in Paragraph (a) do does not apply to boundary waters.

1.11 	Sec. 2. RULEMAKING; NORTHERN PIKE.
 1.12 	(a) The commissioner of natural resources shall amend Minnesota Rules, part 
1.13 	6262.0200, subpart 1, item G, to establish the daily and possession limits for northern pike 
1.14 	in management zones according to paragraphs (b) to (e).
1.15 	(b) The northeastern management zone includes all inland waters lying east 
1.16 	and north of U.S. Highway 53 from International Falls to Duluth. In the northeastern 
1.17 	management zone, the daily and possession limit for northern pike is two. When taking 
1.18 	northern pike by angling in the northeastern management zone, only one over 40 inches in 
1.19 	length may be in possession, and all northern pike from 30 to 40 inches in length must be 
1.20 	immediately returned to the water. When taking northern pike by dark house spearing, 
1.21 	only one over 26 inches in length may be in possession.
1.22 	(c) The north central management zone includes all inland waters lying west and 
1.23 	south of U.S. Highway 53 from International Falls to Duluth and north of a line described 
2.1 	as follows: from the South Dakota border, along State Highway 7 to State Highway 22, 
2.2 	thence south on State Highway 22 to U.S. Highway 212, thence east on U.S. Highway 
2.3 	212 to State Highway 41, thence south on State Highway 41 to the near or north bank 
2.4 	of the Minnesota River, thence along the near banks of the Minnesota and Mississippi 
2.5 	Rivers to the Wisconsin border. The north central management zone does not include 
2.6 	waters of the Minnesota or Mississippi Rivers where those waters create the southern 
2.7 	boundary of the zone.  In the north central management zone, the daily and possession 
2.8 	limit for northern pike is ten.
2.9 	(1) When taking northern pike by angling in the north central management zone, 
2.10 	only two over 26 inches in length may be in possession, and all northern pike from 22 
2.11 	to 26 inches must be immediately returned to the water.
2.12 	(2) When taking northern pike by dark house spearing in the north central 
2.13 	management zone:
2.14 	(i) only two northern pike over 26 inches in length and no northern pike from 22 to 
2.15 	26 inches in length may be in possession; or
2.16 	(ii) only one northern pike from 22 to 26 inches in length and one northern pike over 
2.17 	26 inches in length may be in possession.
2.18 	(d) The southern management zone includes all inland waters lying south of a line 
2.19 	described as follows: from the South Dakota border, along State Highway 7 to State 
2.20 	Highway 22, thence south on State Highway 22 to U.S. Highway 212, thence east on U.S. 
2.21 	Highway 212 to State Highway 41, thence south on State Highway 41 to and including 
2.22 	the waters of the Minnesota River, thence along the Minnesota River to and including the 
2.23 	waters of the Mississippi River to the Wisconsin border. In the southern management 
2.24 	zone, the daily and possession limit for northern pike is two. The minimum size for 
2.25 	northern pike taken by angling or dark house spearing in the southern management zone is 
2.26 	24 inches in length.
2.27 	(e) The restrictions in paragraphs (b) to (d) do not apply in boundary waters.
2.28 	(f) The commissioner may use the good cause exempt rulemaking procedure under 
2.29 	Minnesota Statutes, section 14.388, subdivision 1, clause (3), to adopt rules under this 
2.30 	section, and Minnesota Statutes, section 14.386, does not apply, except as provided under 
2.31 	Minnesota Statutes, section 14.388.
2.32 	(g) No later than January 15, 2027, the commissioner must report on the success of 
2.33 	the northern pike regulations, together with recommendations on whether to keep or change 
2.34 	the regulations. The report must be submitted to the senate and house of representatives 
2.35 	committees having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources policy and finance.