Fish and Game Seeks Public Input For New Fishing Rules

The Magic Valley Region of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will hold three scoping meetings for public input to the statewide fishing rules of 2002 - 2003. These meetings will be held on Monday, May 14 in Burley at the Burley City Hall, Tuesday, May 15 in Hailey at the old county courthouse, and Wednesday, May 16 in Jerome at the Fish and Game office. All meeting times are from 7 - 9 p.m. A scoping meeting is intended to get public input on any and all topics that may be considered for the next set of fishing rules and regulations. Anglers who wish to see rule changes in any aspect of regional or statewide fishing policies should attend these meetings and offer their suggestions and comments. Two statewide items that are proposed include the identification of Family Fishing Waters by region, such as popular and accessible reservoirs. Another consideration is to drop the trout limit to five or raise the bass/walleye limit to six for the sake of uniformity and simplifying the regulations. Fish managers would also like to gauge public opinion on raising the limit on brook trout and whitefish to 25. On a regional level, fisheries personnel have suggested increasing the walleye limit on Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, establishing a permanent and obvious boundary where the Big Wood River enters Magic Reservoir, and setting different limits on brown trout and rainbow trout on Silver Creek. Once these and other proposals have been collected and reviewed by the Bureau of Fisheries and the Fish and Game Commission, they will be taken back out to the public as formal proposals in August. For questions regarding the scoping process and other rule changes, contact Regional Fishery Manager Fred Partridge at the Magic Valley Region Fish and Game Office, 868 E. Main, Jerome, phone 324-4359.