Michigan Bass Season Decision Delayed Until April 9th

[djkimmel]

Due to Unexpected Circumstances Michigan Bass Season Decision Delayed Until April 9th

Legislation was reintroduced in this new session that would give fisheries order authority back to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) early allowing the seven Commissioners to vote on the bass season a month early at the March 19th meeting. Unfortunately, the new leadership of the 2015-16 Legislature has decided they will no longer use immediate effect during this entire 2-year legislative session.

That means even if they pass the bill to give fisheries order authority back to the NRC through this separate legislation, the new law cannot take effect until the normal 90 waiting period after signing has passed. We have excellent support for the bill as we did late last session but the 90 day wait means it will not give the NRC authority back until after the return of all their authority the August 2014 Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (SFWCA) gives them on March 31st anyway.

Read GreatLakesBass.com Conservation and Legislation News for complete details.

[djkimmel]

Sorry about the confusion. I was sure of the passage of the Senate Bills 54-55 to give fisheries order authority back to the NRC immediately meaning the Commissioners could have voted on the bass season at the March 19th meeting but I just found out late Monday night that the new state legislative leadership had decided they would not use the immediate effect authority during this entire 2015-16 session.

Without immediate effect bills have to wait 90 days under state law after being signed by the Governor before they can take effect. We are back on the original time schedule forced on us by the anti-hunter, radical animal rights people behind the humane society of the United States.

It's extremely fortunate we ran our citizens' initiative petition drive to make the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act the law of the land last year. That new law ensures the NRC gets full authority back but by law we have to wait for it to take effect 90 days after the end of the last state legislative session, which means the NRC gets their full authority back on March 31st.

Hence, they can vote on the bass season at the April 9th NRC meeting in Lansing. We continue to try to negotiate the best possible outcome for the new bass season. At worst, we will have year-round legal catch-and-immediate-release bass fishing in Michigan but we will have a delayed start this year sometime after April 9th.

I will update all of you with more details as they become available. MUCC and other groups supporting our Option 4/D are working hard for the best outcome still. If you want to be a part of the solution you must send in your thoughts on this issue before April 9th, and preferable before March 19th when the MDNR Fisheries Division is expected to present their final, official recommendation. Even better, send in your comments by February 12th when we have our next meeting with them. See the post Act NOW for the New Michigan Bass Season for more details.

[Kal-Kevin]

It is all good we have not lost it yet just a small set back

[djkimmel]

Just a delay. Working hard to get as much of a victory this time as possible. Takes too long to go through all of this each time

[Waterfoul]

Just one more reason to not like politicians.   They make everything 10x harder than it has to be.  This should have been a simple slam dunk... 5 minutes on the docket.

[Jmcfarland]

Just sent out an email (finally). It takes 5 mins for any of you guys that haven't already done it- GET ON IT!!!

[djkimmel]

You are right. They are counting each message and giving it heavy meaning. Especially if it doesn't mention Option 4/D unfortunately though that is nothing new when it comes to change. We need more people to send in their personal opinions. I'm changing the comments because I believe they are discounting the people who support Option 4/D, and misunderstanding who is supporting Option 4/D (more than just people like you and me) and what they want - they think we only want bass tournaments instead of real scientific management of our bass that allows the maximum opportunity not just the opportunity they like for the people they like it for.

[djkimmel]

Just one more reason to not like politicians.   They make everything 10x harder than it has to be.  This should have been a simple slam dunk... 5 minutes on the docket.

They've generally given us lots of support and help already including the critical Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act without which there would be NO new bass season, or anything else. This was an unrelated issue apparently in their attempt to try to work better between the parties, and it happened to affect us too unfortunately.