Fishing Tournament rules (NR 20.40)

In 2003, the Wisconsin legislature directed the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to promulgate rules to establish a program to authorize and regulate fishing tournaments (Wisconsin 2003 Act 249).

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes participated in the Fishing Tournament Advisory Committee, established in 2004. After four years of work, WAL feels the Department has developed a reasonable rule that balances diverse interests and resource needs.

Fishing tournaments bring many visitors to our lakes. The Wisconsin Association of Lakes had three major topics of concern as part of the Advisory committee. WAL feels the tournament rules should:

• Ensure all boaters take steps to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species from lake to lake
• Require notification of local governments prior to a tournament, as many Towns and Lake Districts may have passed boating ordinances specific to their lakes
• Limit the number of boats in a tournament so that an individual lake's capacity to handle those boats is not exceeded.

The current draft rules have partially addressed some of WAL's concerns with the previous draft of the rule. We have submitted comments to the Natural Resources Board for further consideration on these and other suggestions.

Ensure all boaters take steps to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS)

In response to WAL's comments and concerns on the first draft of this rule, addtional provisions were added to better address the potential problem of AIS transport between lakes during a tournament. The rule now requires tournament participants to comply with all aquatic invasive species statutes and administrative rules and requires tournament organizers to inform participants of decontamination procedures.

In our written comments to the NRB, WAL is requesting further improvements to the AIS section of the rule such that tournaments also provide a mechanism for participants to clean their boats of aquatic plants and/or invasive species so that participants can comply with invasive species laws.

All boaters should realize that boats are the vector for the spread of organisms from one water body to another. Boat and equipment decontamination between lakes is essential.

Notification of Local Governments (including Lake Districts) prior to a tournament

In response to WAL's comments on the first draft of this rule, the Department added a provision requiring tournament organizers to notifiy local units of government of the date, time, location and size of the tournament once a tournament has been granted a permit.

WAL is requesting further improvements to the rules that would require tournament organizers, upon permit approval, to obtain any local boating or other recreational water use ordinances from local units of government and inform tournament participants of the requirements of these ordinances.

Many local units of government and Lake Districts have local boating ordinances that require slow no wake zones in certain areas (to protect sensitive shorelines for example) and to ensure everyone can have an enjoyable time on the lake.

Limit the number of boats based on the capacity of the lake

The provisions in the current draft of the rule limit the size and number of tournaments by size of the water body. We feel this is a good approach to help minimize shoreline and other impacts that can be caused by increased boat traffic and greater numbers of people using the lake.

To better protect smaller lakes, WAL's comments propose adding an additional lake acreage category for lakes greater than 100 acres and less than 249 acres.

We also suggest that when exceptions within the rule are met and a tournament permit can be granted on a lake that is less than 100 acres:

• a set limit on the number of boats allowed is itemized within the rule
• existing lake management plans are used to determine best management practices for the lake
• available lake data is used to establish best management practices for lakes without lake management plans.