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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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1501:31 Division of Wildlife |
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Chapter1501:31-13. Sport Fishing |
1501:31-13-14. [Effective 1/1/2021] Walleye and yellow perch daily bag limits in the lake Erie sport fishing district
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In accordance with interagency fisheries quota management on lake Erie, this rule establishes annual walleye, sauger, saugeye and yellow perch daily bag limits in the lake Erie sport fishing district that will prevent sport harvest in excess of the Ohio quota allocations for these fish species.
Each year, a total allowable catch (TAC) will be determined for one walleye and three yellow perch stocks by the lake Erie committee of the great lakes fishery commission. Ohio's annual quota for walleye will be derived from the TAC using an area-based sharing formula of walleye habitat within Ohio's jurisdiction in the western and central basins of lake Erie. Ohio's annual quota for yellow perch will be derived from the TAC using an area-based sharing formula of Ohio's jurisdiction in the west (yellow perch management unit 1), west-central (yellow perch management unit 2), and east-central (yellow perch management unit 3) basins of lake Erie. Yellow perch quotas will be issued by management units as defined in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
Based upon the walleye quota for Ohio and based upon the yellow perch quota for each lake Erie yellow perch management unit, the seasonal daily bag limit for walleye, sauger or saugeye and yellow perch will be determined by using the tables listed in paragraphs (B) and (C) of this rule. The bag limits will be posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov, in a statewide news release, and in a printed pamphlet prior to May first.
(A) Bag limits for walleye, sauger or saugeye and yellow perch will take effect on May first each year.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than the daily bag limit of walleye, sauger or saugeye, singly or in the aggregate in the lake Erie sport fishing district as determined in the following table and published by the division and posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov:
Lake Erie quota and daily bag limits for walleye, sauger or saugeye
A
B
C
Ohio quota (numbers of fish)
Daily bag limit for walleye, sauger or saugeye May 1- last
day of February in the lake Erie sport fishing district
Daily bag limit for walleye, sauger and saugeye March 1-
April 30 in the lake Erie sport fishing district
Greater than or equal to 3,000,000
6
6
950,000 to less than 3,000,000
6
4
850,000 to less than 950,000
5
4
750,000 to less than 850,000
4
4
650,000 to less than 750,000
3
3
550,000 to less than 650,000
2
2
Less than or equal to 550,000
1
1
(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than the daily bag limit of yellow perch in the sport management unit, as determined in the following table and published by the division and posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov:
Lake Erie yellow perch management unit quotas
Ohio quota (pounds of fish)
Yellow perch management unit 1
Yellow perch management unit 2
Yellow perch management unit 3
Greater than or equal to 800,000
30
30
30
700,000 to less than 800,000
25
30
30
600,000 to less than 700,000
20
25
30
500,000 to less than 600,000
15
20
30
400,000 to less than 500,000
10
15
25
300,000 to less than 400,000
5
10
20
200,000 to less than 300,000
5
5
15
100,000 to less than 200,000
5
5
10
Less than or equal to 100,000
5
5
5