Attend a Mille Lacs Lake community conversation

MN DNR’s Minnesota Fishing Newsletter
June 24, 2019

DNR is developing a fisheries management plan and wants to hear from you. You can hear a presentation from DNR Mille Lacs fisheries supervisor Tom Heinrich, participate in discussion groups, and all ages are welcome. Join us 6-8 p.m. in person:

  • Thursday, July 11, at Northland Arboretum in Brainerd
  • Tuesday, July 16, at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park classroom in Onamia
  • Thursday, July 18, at Indian Mounds Regional Park Pavilion in St. Paul.

Can’t make a meeting? Go online for information anytime. Share your vision for the lake online from July 11 through Aug. 1 at the Mille Lacs community conversation page.  (Or below)

*** Mille Lacs community conversations ***

Help build a vision for the lake

You’re invited to help DNR determine values and goals that will be part of a new Mille Lacs Lake fisheries management plan.

You can choose to attend one of three meetings or spend a few minutes with our online questionnaire, which will be available beginning July 11. You’ll be asked what’s important to you about Mille Lacs Lake, its fish, the activities that take you to the lake and the area’s communities.
DNR will use your feedback to help determine the goals and values that will be part of a new lake management plan that will be developed.
Meetings

All meetings are from 6-8 p.m. There will be activities for all ages, a presentation by Mille Lacs area fisheries staff and time for discussion. These meetings are designed to collect your thoughts, ideas, and information.

• Thursday, July 11:  Northland Arboretum,14250 Conservation Drive, Brainerd
• Tuesday, July 16: Mille Lacs Kathio State Park classroom, 15066 Kathio State Park Road, Onamia
• Thursday, July 18: Indian Mounds Regional Park pavillion, 10 Mounds Boulevard, St. Paul

Can’t make a meeting?

Check back here July 11 – August 1, 2019, to share your vision for the lake through an online survey.

What’s in a management plan?

DNR is conducting these meetings and the online input opportunity to determine how to proceed and what the plan will include.

The plan you’ll be helping DNR develop impacts only the state portion of the fishery. Tribes that have fishing rights on Mille Lacs manage their own part of the fishery.

Examples of goals in a new management plan may include but are not limited to:
• Improving the regulation-setting process so that we can best reflect angler values while managing the fishery sustainably;

• Recognizing and acknowledging that biological changes in the lake will continue to impact and change the water, fishing and fish – sometimes in ways that may not be predictable; and

• Finding ways to adequately and fairly balance the varying interests that different angling and stakeholder groups have in Mille Lacs Lake with important natural resource considerations to preserve and improve the Mille Lacs Lake fishery.