LANSING – State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) today assured northern Michigan anglers that they will still be able to catch their own bait under new regulations introduced by the Department of Natural Resources to help stop the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHSv).
"Our Great Lakes and other waters are Michigan's most precious natural resource, and we must protect them," McDowell said. "The DNR's new provisions do not preclude anglers from catching their own bait – they only stipulate that they use the bait in the same watershed in which it was caught."
According to a DNR press release, there are three basic management areas, which have been identified to help in controlling the spread of VHSv throughout Michigan's waters. Those areas are the VHSv Free Management Area, the VHSv Surveillance Management Area, and the VHSv Positive Management Area. The list of waters associated with each type of management area can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.
McDowell noted that baitfish or roe collected in a water body within the VHSv Positive Management Area can only be used in waters within the VHSv Positive Management Area. If baitfish or roe is collected in a water body within the VHSv Surveillance Management Area, it can be used in waters within either the VHSv Surveillance or Positive Management areas.
McDowell added that there are also guidelines pertaining to bait which has been purchased from a local bait dealer. For those purchasing bait it is important that they keep their receipt of purchase and that it should contain all of the following information:
- The name of the licensed retail bait dealer and the dealer's license number
- The date of purchase
- The prohibited fish species sold and amount
- A transaction number for the purchase
- Whether the bait is certified or not, and if it is not certified it should indicate where the bait was collected and can be used.
McDowell also advises all anglers with questions regarding watershed identification to contact their local DNR officials for further clarification on watershed boundaries.