Minnesota governor Tim Walz signed legislation last week that will change how the state manages several species of fish that have long been loosely regulated as “rough fish.” Passed earlier by the state legislature, the law is the result of several years of advocacy and education by citizens, scientists, and anglers.
The new “No Junk Fish” law could affect management of several fish found in the St. Croix and its tributaries. The legislation changes key language, redefines how several species are categorized by the Department of Natural Resources, and sets the stage for the first significant regulations of their harvest.
“Our native rough fish play a vital role in Minnesota’s aquatic ecosystems,” said Rep. Sydney Jordan, one of the bill’s primary sponsors. “The legislation we’ve authored will help protect our native species while updating state statute to differentiate from invasive fish. I want to thank the many fish advocates across Minnesota and Native Fish for Tomorrow in particular for leading this charge.”
The changes are the result of a long and complicated process. Based on earlier legislation, the DNR recommended several changes to state law last year, after conducting a series of meetings with anglers, scientists, commercial fishing companies, bowfishers, and others with an interest in the topic.
There are several parts to the changes authorized by the latest bill. First, the term “rough fish,” which has been proven to be arbitrary and often confused with invasive fish like carp, has been replaced. Carp were removed from the category and it was renamed as “native rough fish.”
Perhaps most significantly, the legislation opens the door for the DNR to conduct rulemaking for new regulations for harvest of native rough fish. The species have long been loosely managed, with high harvest limits if any, and little monitoring of population or research into their biology, reproduction, and habitat. The agency is now authorized to develop daily and possession limits for these species as needed.
Species included in the “native rough fish” category now include: bowfin; bigmouth, smallmouth, and black buffalo; white, blue, spotted, and longnose sucker; northern hogsucker; quillback; river and highfin carpsucker; black, river, shorthead, golden, silver, and greater redhorse; black, brown, and yellow bullhead; longnose and shortnose gar; and freshwater drum.
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