"Jim tenHaaf" said:
[quote="Will Schultz"]
There will be three lakes established for GLS broodstock. One in S. Mich, one in the upper LP and one in the UP.
Will these lakes have a "NO KILL" policy in place to protect the GLS?
I can't answer that and I don't think it has been discussed. I will say that Wisconsin made Long Lake ILLEGAL to fish for muskies when they established their GLS brood lake.
"Jim tenHaaf" said:
[quote="Will Schultz"]I will say that Wisconsin made Long Lake ILLEGAL to fish for muskies when they established their GLS brood lake.
[size=150]OUCH![/size] [smilie=violin.gif]
It made complete sense in their case. They had limited resources to establish one brood lake and any mortality was going to be a HUGE loss. So catch and release wasn't even an option, it had to be completely closed to muskie fishing.
We aren't going to be in the same boat but higher size limits, like the 50" limit on Thornapple, would be expected and encouraged.
Will is correct. Michigan is fortunate to have more resources at this time than Wisconsin had in their time. All Michigan needs to do is establish a standard 50" size limit in any brood stock lake and there will be enough eggs to easily expand the program in the future.
However, the brood stock lakes will not be fully online probably 5-6 years after 2009. That means the MMA will have its hard work cut out for them for the next few years to expand the muskie culture facilities and forage sources to handle the GLS program to full potential. You may find that getting the egg source was the easier challenge and getting the future funding the hard challenge. I have faith that the MMA will meet that challenge one way or another.
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