Start planning 2008 fishing tournaments

justnorth posted on July 29, 2007 09:55 :: 1158 Views

Anglers and others who want to host fishing tournaments in 2008 can submit applications beginning Aug. 1.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which limits the size and frequency of tournaments on certain waters, will give preference to applications received by Sept. 28.

The application is available at www.mndnr.gov.

Unlike previous years, a fee is now required for fishing tournament permits. The fee is designed to recover administrative costs, which will free-up dollars for fish management programs. The citizen oversight committee that monitors the DNR’s Game and Fish Fund recommended the change. It was passed into law by the 2007 Legislature.

“The popularity of fishing tournaments has risen to the point where our annual administrative expenditures has grown to $108,000,” said Al Stevens, fisheries program consultant. “The fee was identified as a reasonable way to recover costs.”

Stevens said several approaches for recovering costs were discussed with tournament organizers and legislators before the current structure was adopted.

Under the new system, small open-water contests (31-100 participants, 50 or fewer boats) will pay $120, large open-water contests (more than 100 participants or 50 boats) will pay $400, small open-water contests with off-site weigh-ins will pay $500, large open-water contests with off-site weigh-ins will pay $1,000, and ice fishing contests (more than 150 participants) will pay $120.

The fee, required at the time of application, is nonrefundable except for applications denied following a drawing or withdrawn by the applicant prior to issuance of the permit. Fees may be waived for charitable organizations. Those wishing to have the fee waived, should send proof of their charitable status and justification for the waiver.

The DNR limits the size and frequency of tournaments on lakes smaller than 55,000 acres, and on rivers and streams. Any open-water tournament that has more than 30 participants or an entry fee more than $25 requires a permit from the DNR. Permits for ice fishing contests are required for contests exceeding 150 participants.

However, tournaments for youth age 18 and younger do not require a DNR permit. In 2007, DNR issued nearly 600 permits statewide for fishing contests.

“By limiting the number of contests held on any lake or stream on a monthly basis, we are addressing the concerns of lake users that fishing tournaments disturb their fishing, swimming, boating and other water recreation,” said Stevens. “Additionally, we keep two weekends each month free of permitted tournaments.”

The number of tournaments allowed each month on lakes is based on lake size. For example, on lakes smaller than 2,000 acres, two tournaments per month are allowed, each limited to no more than 50 boats or 100 participants. Lakes from 15,000 to 55,000 acres can have five contests per month, three of which may exceed 50 boats or 100 participants. There are no limits for lakes larger than 55,000 acres.

If the number of applications exceeds monthly limits, the DNR uses a lottery to allocate available permits. Applications received from Aug. 1 through Sept. 28 will be eligible for any necessary lottery drawing. Tournaments with a history established prior to 2001 for a particular lake and time period will have preference.

Applications received after Sept. 28 will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis through the 2008 tournament season.

For a complete summary of the tournament regulations, call the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll-free at 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367), or view the summary and a tournament application on the DNR Web site at www.mndnr.gov.