DNR Proposes Changes To Sunfish Limits on Carnelian, Pleasant Lakes

(KNSI) – Anglers on a pair of Stearns County Lakes could be allowed to keep more sunfish next year.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for public input on changing the regulation for sunfish on Carnelian and Pleasant lakes. The meeting will take place on 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, October 6th, at Rockville City Hall, 229 Broadway Street East, in Rockville.

The proposal would replace the current reduced possession limit for sunfish with a reduced daily limit. The change will allow an angler to take the daily limit of five sunfish from these lakes multiple days in a row until reaching the statewide possession limit (20 sunfish). The old rule only allowed an angler to catch five sunfish a day and those fish would need to be eaten before you could keep any more.

The change will create consistency with the newly implemented Quality Sunfish Initiative regulations and not have other biological impacts.

As an alternative to attending the public meeting, comments can be submitted by calling the DNR Sauk Rapids fisheries office at 320-223-7867, emailing joe.stewig@state.mn.us, or by sending written comments to DNR Fisheries, 1035 South Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids, MN 56379.

Comments will be accepted through October 31st.

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