2005 Minnesota Statutes

     97C.825 Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake fishing. 

    Subdivision 1.    New commercial fishing licenses 
 prohibited.  The commissioner may not issue a new commercial 
 fishing license that allows netting of game fish on Lake of the 
 Woods and Rainy Lake.  

    Subd. 2.    Restrictions on fish and nets.  The 
 following rules and restrictions shall apply to all commercial 
 fishing operations conducted in Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake 
 unless otherwise changed by rule of the commissioner under 
 authority of section 97A.045, subdivision 4: 

    (a) Any fish, except largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock 
 bass, muskellunge, crappies, sturgeon, and sunfish, may be taken 
 subject to all other restrictions contained in the game and fish 
 laws. 

    (b) Pound net mesh and staked trap net mesh may not be less 
 than 2-1/2 inches nor more than four inches stretch measure in 
 the pound or crib.  

    (c) Gill net mesh may not be less than four inches stretch 
 measure, and may not be more than 30 meshes in width.  

    (d) Fyke net mesh may not be less than 2-1/2 inches nor 
 more than four inches stretch measure in the pot or crib.  Fyke 
 nets may not have a hoop or opening more than six feet in 
 height, wings more than 100 feet in length, nor a lead more than 
 400 feet in length.  

    (e) Submerged trap net mesh may not be less than 2-1/2 
 inches nor more than three inches stretch measure in the heart, 
 pot, or crib.  A submerged trap net may not have a pot or crib 
 exceeding 150 square feet in area, a lead exceeding 300 feet in 
 length, nor a pot or lead exceeding 12 feet in depth. 

    Subd. 3.    Net limits for individual operators.  A 
 person may not operate more than six pound nets, 4,000 feet of 
 gill nets, eight submerged trap nets, ten fyke or staked trap 
 nets, or one pound net station.  

    Subd. 4.    Net location.  Nets may only be set at a 
 place consented to by the commissioner.  

    Subd. 5.    Net limits for Lake of the Woods and Rainy 
 Lake.  (a) The maximum amount of nets permitted to be licensed 
 shall be: 

    (1) in Lake of the Woods, 50-pound nets, 160 submerged trap 
 nets, and 80 fyke or staked trap nets; and 

    (2) in Rainy Lake, 20-pound nets. 

    (b) Commercial fishing may be prohibited in the Minnesota 
 portions of international waters when it is prohibited in the 
 international waters by Canadian authorities. 

    Subd. 6. Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52 

    Subd. 7. Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52 

    Subd. 8. Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52 

    Subd. 9. Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52 

    Subd. 10.    Taking eggs for propagation; commissioner's 
 rule.  The commissioner may require a person licensed to take 
 fish for commercial purposes in the waters covered by this 
 section to take eggs for propagation purposes when it can be 
 done in connection with the licensed commercial fishing.  The 
 eggs must be taken under rules prescribed by the commissioner.  

    HIST: 1985 c 248 s 70; 1986 c 386 art 3 s 65; 1991 c 259 s 23; 2005 
 c 146 s 48