Is It Legal to Trap Minnows in Minnesota

The potential problems are considerable, including a Minnesota law that prohibits the movement of invasive species such as zebra mussels that could be attached to a minnow trap. The pilot requires that the fishing gear be specific to the sea and that DNR personnel be available nearby to inspect the equipment if needed, Sisler said. A person holding a valid Minnow retail license, pursuant to Section 97C.501 of the Laws of Minnesota, may purchase and possess any quantity of Minnows for resale in retail stores, and may transport Minnows from the place of wholesale purchase to an established, physical place of business located in the state owned or operated by the licensee. where minnows are sold at retail or to a private fish farm or a licensed private water farm. One. A minnow trap, a series of minnow traps, a rubber net or a trap net, including wings or pipes, must not exceed half the width of a watercourse. Minnows and leeches: Licensed fishers are permitted to take minnows or leeches for their own use with diving nets, traps or calves. “With some lakes, we`re finding that if you can`t use traps, it`s really hard to harvest minnows — period,” Sisler said. “The goal of the pilot project is to identify this first to see if we can use traps without spreading invasive species.

And if we can, what are the licence conditions that would work for bait traders and allow them to use the traps safely? Each vehicle approved for the transportation of minnows must be identified by the name and place of residence of the licence holder as indicated on the permit of the retailer, dealer, exporter or freight forwarder. The required vehicle identification shall be affixed in such a way as to be clearly visible on both sides of the vehicle in letters and numbers at least 2 1/2 inches high and with a stroke three-eighths of an inch wide. The mandatory marking of the vehicle may be permanently affixed to vehicles or affixed to removable plates or posters affixed to the opposite doors of the vehicle or to the tanks carried on the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle identification for vehicles used to transport minnows out of state must bear the licence number of the exporting dealer or carrier. C. A person who installs his own minnow traps, individual minnow trap cords, tire nets or trap nets is subject to the provisions of points (1) and (2): A DNR permit is required to own more than 24 dozen minnows or leeches; for sale, export or import; or minnows or leeches from waters designated for trout. The waters described in this part are closed to commercial minnow extraction: A. A person who does not hold a minnow`s dealer`s licence may use minnow traps not exceeding 30 inches or 15 inches in height. The diameter or width of the opening should not exceed 1-1/2 inches and the mesh size should not exceed half an inch of bar mesh. No person shall take minnows for commercial purposes within the boundaries of the Leech Lake Indian Reserve without first obtaining permission from the Chippewa Band of Leech Lake in the manner and form required by the band.

If the equipment is stored on-site, that`s not a problem, Sisler said. If that is not an option, a way should be found to transport the equipment to a location where it could be decontaminated. The challenge, Sisler said, is that MNR generally does not allow minnow trappers to use rigid-walled traps in zebra mussel infested waters because invasive shellfish adhere to hard surfaces. Minnows may only be transported in containers that allow the Commissioner to inspect minnows at any time. No vehicle may be used to pick up or transport more than 12 dozen minnows in that state, unless authorized by the Commissioner to do so, except as provided by the laws of Minnesota, section 97C.501, subdivision 3. Driver`s licences must be kept in the vehicle and must be available for inspection by the Commissioner at all times. Minnow dealers and retailers can only obtain driver`s licenses for vehicles registered in that state. A motor vehicle registered as a regular carrier does not need to be licensed under hunting and fishing laws to transport minnows for another person. After ingestion, minnows should not be moved in less water than the volume that keeps them in good condition. Also make sure it is not listed as an alien species OR that it does not flow from a species. If this is the case, you should use the bait in the water in which you caught it. B.

A person who is not licensed as a Minnow merchant is not permitted to use Minnow traps with wires. The goal of the project is to shed light on “the kinds of things we can do and are confident that we are not increasing the risk of these invasive species spreading,” he said. The challenge, Sisler said, is that MNR generally does not allow minnow trappers to use rigid-walled traps in zebra mussel infested waters because invasive shellfish adhere to hard surfaces. 2. A single minnow trap, including lead, may be placed at intervals of at least 20 feet in any direction of any part of another minnow trap, a single chain of minnow traps, a trap net or a tire net, except that submerged minnow traps may be placed next to each other in one place. within 12 inches of each other. All containers used for receiving minnows other than for transport shall be equipped with a ventilation device or a continuous jet of water which maintains at all times sufficient dissolved oxygen to keep the minnows in good condition, except that the containers so equipped are not necessary to stop the leeches. Leeches should not be stored in a container where oxygen dissolved in water or temperature is not maintained at a level that keeps leeches in good condition. Minnows, including leeches, can only be transported in containers where oxygen dissolved in the water is maintained at a level that keeps minnows in good condition. A popular tick-borne pikeperch bait, the spot-tailed shiers runs short in the spring and is most commonly found and caught in large lakes such as Upper Red, many of which are designated as zebra mussel infested waters. Larval zebra mussels, called “veligera”, were found in the upper red in 2019, but no adult mussels were found.

Steve D said it. In addition, you must have your name on all your traps and be visible to others. C. A licensed minnow dealer must notify the fisheries supervisor or local conservation officer 24 hours before laying nets or tire nets. One. Licensed minnow traders may take minnows with minnow traps that are no more than four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. Traps should have no more than two grooves per entry. The outermost neck can be divided into two sections by a median structure.

The diameter or width of the innermost opening of the cervix should not exceed 1-1/2 inches and the mesh size should not exceed half an inch of bar mesh. The top of the outermost pharynx should allow the escape of non-target species if it is possible to catch them by the throat. Pipes used in conjunction with minnow traps should not exceed 50 feet in length. Minnows may be transported in traps and nets under the conditions set out in this Part and Part 6254.0510. 1. A tyre net, trap net or single chain of interconnected minnow traps, including wings or hoses, may be placed at intervals of at least 50 feet in any direction of any part of another pneumatic net or trap net or a single chain of minnow traps. All streams, tributaries, tributaries, tributaries, altars, backwaters, or other seasonal or permanent waters in the Missouri River watershed located in Lincoln, Pipestone, Murray, Rock, or Nobles County south of U.S. Route 14 to the Iowa border and west of Highway 59 to the South Dakota border are closed to commercial minnows. except that a licensed minnow dealer, aquatic farm permit holder, private hatchery licensee, or commercial crustacean farmer who holds a federal permit for the accidental removal of endangered species permitting the removal of Topeka Minnows (Notropis topeka) under 16 U.S.C.

Section 1539, can take minnows in this area. These waters include, but are not limited to, Medary Creek, Flandreau Creek, East Branch Flandreau Creek, Willow Creek, Pipestone Creek, North Branch Pipestone Creek, Split Rock Creek, Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek, Springwater Creek, Rock River, Rock River, East Branch Rock River, Ask Creek, Little Rock River, Little Rock Creek, Kanaranzani Creek, Norwegian Creek, East Branch Kanaranzi Creek, Elk Creek, Champepadan Creek, Mound Creek, Poplar Creek, Chanarambie Creek, North Branch Chanarambie Creek and Mud Creek. A “minnow trap” is a device, other than a wheel net or trap net, used to catch minnows or leeches. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is planning a pilot project, scheduled to launch this spring, to identify best practices for minnow traders who catch spot-tailed minnows in lakes designated as zebra mussel infested waters. Minnow dealers are not required to purchase a water farm as defined in the Minnesota Constitution, Section 17.4982, Subsection 4, or a private hatchery permit if they keep minnows in ponds for bait purposes, provided that no more than three ponds are used and no pond exceeds one acre.