DEC Announces Release of Draft Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan

DEC Announces Release of Draft
Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan

January 16, 2021 12:30 p.m.

Press Release from NYS DEC (01/15/21):

DEC Announces Release of Draft Sunfish and Crappie Management

Plan

Proposed Plan Reflects Current Angler Views and Science to Provide

Sustainable and Unique Fishing Opportunities for Popular Panfish

Public Comments Accepted through Feb. 15, 2021

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the release of a draft Sunfish

and Crappie Management Plan for public review and comment. The draft

plan proposes more conservative statewide fishing regulations and

establishes the "Big Panfish Initiative" that aims to provide unique

opportunities by managing for larger-sized crappie and sunfish in certain

waters. The

draft plan is available on DEC's website

and public comments

will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2021.

"Sunfish and crappie are some of New York's most popular panfish species

and with this plan, DEC is balancing conservation and fishing opportunities

for more sustainable fisheries in waters across the state," Commissioner

Seggos said. "DEC encourages New York's anglers to share their input on

this draft management plan and the Big Panfish Initiative to help develop

destination fisheries for sunfish and crappie and complement our ongoing

efforts to expand and diversify New York State's freshwater angling

opportunities."

In the draft plan, fishery managers propose management objectives after

considering both the current science on sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, and

redbreast) and crappie management and the opinions of New York anglers.

Results from an

online angler survey (PDF)

indicate support for more

conservative sunfish fishing regulations. Recent research on the impacts of

sunfish and crappie harvest regulations indicates that lowering daily harvest

limits or increasing minimum size limits can result in improvements to

population size structure, which is likely to improve fishing quality and

sustainability for these species.

Elements of the draft plan include:

Reducing the sunfish statewide daily harvest limit from 50 to 25 fish;
Increasing the crappie statewide minimum size limit from nine to 10
inches;
Establishing the Big Panfish Initiative, which includes:

Implementing an eight-inch minimum size limit and a daily harvest
limit of 15 for sunfish in the following waters:

Blydenburgh Lake (DEC Region 1);
Lake Welch (Region 3);
Canadarago Lake and Goodyear Lake (Region 4);
Saratoga Lake (Region 5);
Sixtown Pond and Red Lake (Region 6);
Cazenovia Lake and Otisco Lake (Region 7);
Honeoye Lake (Region 8); and
Silver Lake (Region 9)

Implementing a 12-inch minimum size limit and a daily harvest limit
of 10 for crappie in the following waters:

Muscoot Reservoir (Region 3);
Saratoga Lake (Region 5);
Delta Lake (Region 6);
Cazenovia Lake and Otisco Lake (Region 7);
Waneta/Lamoka lakes and Honeoye Lake (Region 8); and
Bear Lake (Region 9)

Evaluating the impacts of these fishing regulation changes to sunfish
and crappie population structure and through periodic checks of angler
satisfaction.

Comments on the draft plan should be submitted via e-mail to

fishplans@dec.ny.gov

or via mail to Jeff Loukmas, NYSDEC, 625

Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753; include the subject line "Sunfish and

Crappie Management Plan." Comments will be accepted through Feb. 15,

2021.

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