Week of April 12, 1997 --->
 

To appease commercial operators who fear a loss to their livelihood, the Illinois DNR agreed to fund a two-year independent study of possible off-shore perch populations in deeper waters. Although Wisconsin recently completed such a study with poor findings, the Illinois commercial netters believe the perch have moved off-shore due to water clarification caused by the increase in near shore zebra mussel population.

State fisheries chief Mike Conlin said compatativly few jobs will be lost by the commercial and charter boat bans. "It might affect three or four charter boats", Conlin said. Commercial operators can still catch bloater chubb to maintain their retail store business.

Economics alone demands that government do everything possible to maintain a viable sport fishery. Compared with an estimated $2.1 million economic impact of the five Illinois commercial operators, the Chicago sport perch fishery sustains and estimated value of $80 million.

rules in favor of resource

" After receipt of much needed information from the IL DNR and conversations with sport fisherman, I believe this is the time to institute the ban for the future of perch and the future of our fishing industry," said Senator Donne Trotter"

It took little more than 10 minutes for the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to vote 10-0 to support the Department of Natural Resources' decision to close perch fishing to commercial netters, protecting Lake Michigan's dwindling perch stock.

The DNR also issued an emergency rule prohibiting Lake Michigan charter boats from operating their perch charters.

"The yellow perch population is in grave danger," DNR director Brent Manning said, "In the interest of fairness and equity, we believe it appropriate to extend the perch fishery management effort to charters too."

The commercial ban matches efforts by Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan to reduce harvests of breeder fish and allowing the states to manage the perch fishery as a single entity.

Sport anglers daily harvest will drop to 15 perch per day and only perch between 8 to 10 inches long with a total closure for June.