TOPIC:

As you may have heard, the legislation to increase fishing and hunting license fees failed in the lame duck session of the Michigan Legislature earlier this month. The new session begins in January but there does not seem to be support in Lansing to get the same package of license fee increases passed. 

Inflation remains a problem and the DNR will have to cut programs to balance their budget. They have already been cutting costs in prior years by not filling open positions and deferring maintenance and expenditures. The GLSI does not support any budget cuts to programs that support our Great Lakes fisheries.

We give credit to the Fisheries Division for preventing a salmonid crash on Lake Michigan and trying to rebuild the fishery on Lake Huron. Walleye fishing is outstanding on Saginaw Bay, Lake St Clair, Detroit River, and Lake Erie. The DNR has lots of critics and has made mistakes, but we think you have to agree, fishing on the Great Lakes was awesome in 2024.

What programs should be cut? We would suggest the sturgeon and grayling programs are 2 that are not going to deliver much to anglers. Their restoration would be great but with only so much money to go around, the DNR must use the license fees we pay wisely. Programs that deliver the biggest bang for the buck need to be funded, like salmon stocking, and programs that don't create solid opportunities for anglers are the ones that should be cut.
 
This is an interesting opinion article on this subject:
www.outdoornews.com/2024/12/18/commentar...ugh-for-conservation /

The GLSI will continue pushing our optional trolling license when the new legislature convenes next month. This can create a new revenue stream that most Great Lakes anglers are willing to voluntarily pay for. Much of the work of the DNR benefits all residents in Michigan but anglers and hunters pay all their bills. It is time for all residents who benefit and use our natural resources to help fund the DNR. Our proposal for an optional trolling license could be expanded into a Fisheries Conservation stamp that allows anglers to run extra rods on the Great Lakes but also raises money to help fund other programs and creates new opportunities for everyone. Key to this would be to list and promote new opportunities, like maintaining native fish restoration, kayak access, kids programs and habitat improvement, etc. that the public would support. It could create a voluntary new revenue stream that if promoted well would get more people beside just anglers and hunters to buy it. It would raise more money than a trolling license only for Great Lakes anglers could. Keeping it as a voluntary license or stamp could be what it takes to pass it in our legislature and does not force anyone to pay more. Let us know what you think?
 Copyright © 2024 Great Lakes Salmon Initiative, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.

Our mailing address is:
Great Lakes Salmon Initiative
PO Box 189
Chelsea, MI 48118