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DEC Proposes Changes to Coolwater
Sportfish Regulations; Public Comments Accepted Through April 13th
Published: February 14, 2026
at 11:45 a.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS DEC
DEC Proposes Changes to Coolwater
Sportfish Regulations
Public Input Sought Through April 13, 2026
New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton has
announced the release of proposed changes to coolwater
sportfish regulations that will help protect fish while spawning, increase
the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin, and
eliminate unnecessary special regulations.
“The proposed
regulation changes for walleye, pike, pickerel, and tiger musky reflect
DEC’s commitment to adaptively manage New York’s fisheries resources and to
simplify regulations wherever possible,” said Commissioner Lefton.
“We encourage the public to review the proposal and provide feedback.”
Highlights of the
proposed regulations include:
- Changing the closing date for walleye,
northern pike, chain pickerel, and tiger musky from March 15 to March
1 for both statewide and special regulations;
- Changing the start date of fishing-prohibited
regulations to protect spawning walleye on sections of select streams
from March 16 to March 2;
- Eliminating unnecessary special harvest
regulations for walleye in 33 waters; and
- Changing the size limit and daily creel limit
for walleye in Jefferson County waters of Lake Ontario to two fish per
day with no more than one longer than 24 inches.
The proposed
regulations are responsive to fisheries managers’ and anglers’ concerns
that the current fishing season closing date may not adequately protect
spawning walleye and northern pike into the future, as a warming climate
changes water temperatures and shifts spawning times. Establishing an
earlier fishing season closure will help ensure that spawning aggregations
of these species are protected.
There are also
several walleye waters currently managed under special harvest regulation
(18-inch minimum size limit, three-per-day possession limit) to help
establish, restore, or improve walleye fisheries. A subset of those waters
does not meet that objective and the draft regulations propose to convert
back to statewide regulations and a 15-inch minimum size, five-per-day
possession limit.
In addition, the
walleye fishery in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin (Jefferson County) has
declined, and DEC is proposing a more protective harvest regulation
intended to increase spawning stock biomass and increase the capacity for
natural reproduction.
The full text
and a summary of the proposed regulatory changes are available on
DEC’s website.
DEC is interested
in anglers’ viewpoints and encourages public feedback on these proposals.
Comments will be accepted through April 13, 2026, and should be emailed
to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov with the subject line
“Coolwater Sportfish Regulations,” or sent by
standard mail to:
Inland Fisheries
Section
NYSDEC
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4753
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