1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to natural resources; appropriating money to 
  1.3             assess the health of game fish populations and residue 
  1.4             levels in the ten major river basins. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.] 
  1.7      The legislature finds that 2,300,000 people fish in 
  1.8   Minnesota waters and enjoy an annual catch of 3,500,000 walleye 
  1.9   and 64,000,000 pan fish.  Of the 15,000 lakes and 6,564 rivers 
  1.10  and streams, fewer than 618 lakes and 44 rivers have been 
  1.11  assessed for fish health and residue content.  Recent 
  1.12  occurrences of deformed aquatic wildlife and invading exotic 
  1.13  aquatic species suggest possible impairment of game fish 
  1.14  health.  Residue levels presently restrict fish consumption in 
  1.15  over 93 percent of the sites studied, but no comprehensive 
  1.16  information exists as to whether conditions are changing and 
  1.17  causal factors are being identified. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  [ASSESSMENT OF GAME FISH HEALTH AND RESIDUES.] 
  1.19     The commissioners of natural resources and the pollution 
  1.20  control agency shall implement and extend the game fish health 
  1.21  and bioaccumulative residues research program at the University 
  1.22  of Minnesota-Duluth to include the assessment of the top ten 
  1.23  river basins in the state.  Coordination of related efforts by 
  1.24  surrounding states and provinces for interconnecting basins, 
  1.25  including Lake Superior, shall be accomplished through 
  2.1   agency-sponsored work groups and seminars. 
  2.2      Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.3      $400,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.4   commissioner of natural resources, in coordination with the 
  2.5   commissioner of the pollution control agency, to provide funding 
  2.6   to the University of Minnesota-Duluth to implement and extend 
  2.7   the research program under section 2.  The appropriation is 
  2.8   available until June 30, 2000.