DNR report from around Minnesota

Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) worked area lakes as well as Lake Superior throughout the past week. Water levels are up due to recent rains, making navigation interesting in areas where rocks used to protrude from the water. Angling success on Lake Superior has been good, with anglers working the mud lines and debris left by the heavy runoff. Invasives work continued around public accesses.

North

John Velsvaag (Ely) assisted on an invasives work detail near Ely. Checked anglers and took some nuisance bear calls. Received a complaint on a boat and arrested a juvenile for operating while intoxicated as well as other violations.

Marty Stage (Ely) spent time working the area lakes and time in court finishing up a gill net case from 2009. The whitefish net had been left unattended on the lake 21days after the season had closed and had many dead and decomposing fish in it. The operator claimed he could not find the net and thought someone had stolen it, but he did not bother to notify anyone. The net was easy to find and right at the mouth of the river where nets are normally placed. The net was not marked properly with the name and address of the operator and did not have the required two-foot markers on the floats. These rules are intended to make the net easier to see and the name and address helps the officers find the person who is responsible when they are not playing by the same rules as everyone else.

North Shore

Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers on the water and at boat accesses. Invasives checks were made, equipment maintenance was handled and questions regarding transport of live bait were answered. Took a report of a cougar sighting over Memorial Day weekend.

Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent time checking anglers in the Boundary Waters. Saw some nice walleye in the bag on area lakes within the wilderness. People were enjoying their time before the black fly season starts. Worked on Lake Superior and checked for invasives violations during two details in Lake and Cook counties. The majority of the people checked are supportive of the invasives regulations. Checked on a potential public waters violation. Enforcement action was taken for boating and invasives violations.

South

Randy Hanzal (Duluth) Invasives details were worked in the Duluth area. Compliance of all required rules intended to slow the spread of invasive species was found to be high, showing that anglers and boaters are getting the word and doing their part. A dead eagle was reported and picked up. Several nuisance bears calls were received. Several ATV and boating violations were also encountered.

Kipp Duncan (Duluth) continued to spend the majority of the week working on background investigations for a possible new hire of a conservation officer. Field work consisted of working area public water accesses for aquatic invasive species, working fishing and boating enforcement, and checking ATV complaint areas. Also returned several calls, spent time completing office work, and reminded people if they don’t want bears around, remove food sources.

Tags: north shore, outdoors, dnr, minnesota, environment, ely, updates