March 2, 2022 at 4:54 p.m.
Wisconsin Walleye Management Plan open for public comment
Wisconsin Walleye Management Plan open for public comment
Overall, seven goals were identified in the new draft plan (see sidebar). Each of these goals, in the plan, are further broken down into more specific objectives, as well as action items.
According to the plan, walleye are estimated to attract 1.8 million hours of "targeted angling effort annually." They are the most sought after fish by both resident and non-resident anglers on Wisconsin waters. They are also the main species harvested by the Ojibwe Tribes. Walleye are native to large river systems in the state including places such as the Mississippi, Wolf, Fox, Black, Chippewa and Flambeau rivers. They have also been introduced by the Department of Natural Resources and its predecessor agencies widely into other inland lakes. In some of these lakes, populations have been self-sustaining. In others, populations rely on stocking to remain viable.
Walleye are subject to both tribal and hook-and-line harvest. The plan stated, tribal anglers harvest 30,000 to 40,000 walleye per year from Ceded Territory lakes. Anglers account for just under 200,000 walleye harvest from those same lakes. The plan also points out the regulations surrounding tribal harvest and the monitoring of both spearing and netting.
Walleye are also intensely managed across the state. This includes stocking of thousands of fingerlings and millions of fry each year. There is also a good deal of effort put into dedicated monitoring of populations in many areas of the state.
The current plan calls its 1998 predecessor "ambitious, detailed and groundbreaking." It was created with goals and objectives that were, at the time, highly relevant. However, things have changed in walleye populations over the years since that plan was put into place. Issues such as recruitment failure and climate change were not addressed in the 1998 plan. That plan also did not encompass sauger management.
The current draft plan also looks at issues unique to the "Great Waters" of Wisconsin. This includes the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, Green Bay, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. These waterbodies were not given individual attention in the former plan. The management techniques in the current plan are not meant to supersede any existing plans or inter-governmental agreements, but rather to compliment those efforts.
Throughout the process of creating the current draft plan, over 5,000 stakeholders took part, volunteering their time to take part in the process. According to the plan document, input included support for "science-based management and collaborative problem-solving."
Challenges facing walleyes are complex, not only in Wisconsin, but across the Midwest. By taking the voices of all stakeholder groups into account, this plan looks to provide a strategy that would serve to unify all parties participating in walleye management in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would look to collaborate with groups such as the Health Lakes Program, environmental law enforcement, the Office of Applied Science and other water resource specialists. This may include conservation groups, sporting groups and lake organizations.
This current draft plan will guide walleye management in Wisconsin for the next 10 years once approved. Once that time expires, the plan will be revisited to discern what updates are needed based on conditions at that time. Conditions such as advances in science, changing environmental conditions and any shift in public priorities will be taken into account when it comes to revision time once again.
Since the year 2000, the number of walleye populations that are naturally reproducing at a rate to sustain populations has declined. A "recruitment bottleneck" has been found to be at the core of the issue in many of these declines, according to the plan. When year classes repeatedly fail in a system, this eventually leads to declines in adult populations. While some populations in northern Wisconsin remain strong, especially in waterbodies associated with rivers, the number of overall self-sustaining populations has fallen.
The plan document outlines the process by which the plan was created, including the opportunities for public input throughout the process. Pre-draft input included a random angler survey that looked to provide a picture of public opinion on a variety of topics relating to walleyes and walleye management. The 50-question survey was distributed to 6,750 residents and non-residents who purchased a fishing license. The results from those surveys were included in the plan.
There were also virtual public stakeholder meetings held from October of 2020 to February of 2021. Stakeholders included guides, resort owners, bait shop owners, lake group leaders, conservation staff, tournament organizers, sporting clubs, tourism promotes and others.
A general input form was also available by which the public could provide input and feedback. This was a shorter form with only eight questions about walleye fishing experiences and management preferences. This form also included an open comment field. The DNR received 1,824 responses with this form.
Tribal input meetings were also held as part of the planning process. The plan stated the sovereign tribes are key partners in managing the resource and had a "strong interest in walleye and aquatic ecosystem health." Two virtual meetings were held in March of 2021 with tribes. There were 15 total participants representing eight tribes at these meetings.
The Department also conferred with professionals outside of its own fish management program. These experts included Minnesota fisheries biologists who were working on similar issues. Other experts in lake management and protection, law enforcement and climate and stocking issues were also sought out.
Those interested in reviewing the plan and adding their input can do so by going to the DNR website dnr.wi.gov and inputting the keywords "Walleye Management Plan." Halfway down the page, there is a "We want your input" tab. Under that tab, site visitors will find a PDF of the draft version of the new plan, as well as a questionnaire they can complete to add their input.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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