The Department of Natural Resources today announced that Fisheries Division is seeking public input on a draft proposal to increase the daily bag limit for Chinook salmon and Coho salmon to five fish per day. If adopted, the regulation would apply on all Great Lakes and rivers.

The regulations currently in place for trout and salmon in all waters of the State set the daily bag limit at five fish in any combination but no more than three of any one species, except that up to five pink salmon may be harvested. The proposed change would increase the harvest limit for Chinook salmon and Coho salmon to five daily in combination or for either species. The DNR does not believe that any increase to the daily bag limit for these two species would be biologically harmful. Bag limits for all other species of trout and salmon would remain unchanged.

The current regulations for salmon have been in place since 1989. Prior to 1989, the daily limit was five fish in any combination for all trout and salmon species except lake trout. The limit was changed due to bacterial kidney disease decimating Chinook populations in the late 1980s, and anglers voicing the opinion that three fish of any species was a reasonable daily harvest.

"A higher daily bag limit for these two species could result in a limited number of additional fish being harvested, but only when populations are high and catch rates are high," said DNR Lake Michigan Basic Coordinator Jim Dexter. "This situation may be experienced in localized areas or waters."

Dexter added that if large increases in river harvest became the norm that reproductive potential could be lost. While there is currently no information available to quantify this possibility, there is no reason to believe that reproductive potential will be lost by increasing the daily bag limit.

DNR Fisheries Division Chief Kelley Smith said that because Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie have low salmon populations and catch rates, this type of change would mean little to anglers in those waters.

"This is about providing consistent opportunity for anglers and maintaining our commitment to simplify regulations. Any bag limit change for these two species will not be harmful to their populations," said Smith.

Smith added that the current limit is not effective in terms of limiting catch in most years or controlling populations. Natural mortality exerts much more control than angler harvest.

"For all reasonable purposes this is a social question," said Dexter. "Most anglers never catch a daily limit, although in times of high abundance their catch rate can increase."

A "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) list has been posted to the DNR Web site and is available at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing under the Fishing menu. The angling community is invited to review this document and send email comments on the proposal by June 13 to DNR-Fish-Salmon-limits@michigan.gov. For those who do not have internet access, a copy of the FAQ can be obtained by calling one of the contacts listed.