And a Big Thanks!
An article from WWA’s Words From The Wardens.
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s December, 2022 eNewsletter.
By DNR Chief Warden Casey Krueger
As the DNR conservation wardens end another successful year of working alongside the public and partners who share the passion to protect Wisconsin’s incredible natural resources, we’ll wrap 2022 with a request from the U.S. Geological Survey and detail a major win for Wisconsin’s natural resources in the courts.
However, before we move on to the news of the month, the DNR wardens want to say a heartfelt thank you to the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association for providing this space to connect with you in the association newsletter.
We are honored to be included and we do not take it for granted. Remember: we want to hear from YOU. If you have a topic you’d like addressed, let our public information officer know. Email Joanne at joanne.haas@wisconsin.gov. She’ll be glad to hear from you.
We wish you an enjoyable – and safe! — final month of the year.
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U.S. Geological Survey Wants Your Opinion About The ‘Open Water Zone’
By Lt. Ryan M. Propson
Marine Warden Team Supervisor
If you were among the duck hunters who enjoyed outings on the Green Bay and Lake Michigan regions of our state, the U.S. Geological Survey wants to hear from you.
The federal agency wants your views about how waterfowl harvest and regulations for the Wisconsin Open Water Zone.
2021-2025 Open Water Zone
This is your chance to have a say this year in the regulations that will be developed through the 2025 waterfowl hunting seasons. If you have a trip to the area yet this year, no problem. You can provide feedback to the federal agency through Dec. 31, 2022.
The hunting season will end Dec. 13, giving you plenty of time to gather your thoughts and provide them to federal department.
Another thing to remember about the survey is this will be an annual gathering of hunters’ opinions concerning the Open Water Zone through 2024.
The survey says the new Open Water Zone will begin 500 feet offshore and extend to the Wisconsin/Michigan state boundary. The topics for hunter feedback include:
- The season structure of the Open Water Zone
- If the zone should have a split when hunting is not allowed
- And the preferred number of days the split should last, if desired
The survey also is seeking details on where and what species of waterfowl are harvested in these open water environments.
You can complete the survey by clicking here.
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State’s First Criminal Conviction Under Invasive Species Law Involves Red Swamp Crayfish
Invasive can overrun native species
By Lt. Robert Stroess
Lieutenant/Administrator
Commercial Fish/ Aquatic Species in Trade Enforcement
Back in 2020, we launched an investigation into the distribution of the illegal red swamp crayfish – a highly destructive invasive species that can take over waters and the native aquatic species.
I need to stress this was not only an investigation but also an education effort to encourage distributors to follow Wisconsin laws about invasive species.
Try as we may, education and outreach don’t always change the behavior of some individuals and companies. Sometimes enforcement is needed. And so was the result of this case that went beyond the state borders.
Last month, the two-year investigation ended with the first-ever criminal convictions under the state’s invasive species law, Chapter NR 40, related to the importation of live red swamp crayfish.
Although red swamp crayfish are native to the southern U.S., they are not native to the northern U.S., including Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
These crayfish are illegal in Wisconsin because they cause havoc in our waterways by out-competing other species, damaging shorelines and burrowing deep into the ground to avoid winter freezing. They are prolific and resilient.
We started the investigation after several grocery stores were offering live red swamp crayfish for sale.
Then, a walker in Ozaukee County reported an “aggressively acting” crayfish and we were able to track the escaped crayfish to a home 340 feet away, where a crayfish boil had taken place a few weeks earlier. More investigation revealed a significant illegal importation of live red swamp crayfish throughout the Great Lakes region.
As part of our education efforts, the crayfish distributors were sent letters informing them that the red swamp crayfish being shipped was illegal under many jurisdictions. The investigation showed that an area Louisiana company received the letter, confirmed its contents, but then continued to ship nearly 13,000 more invasive crayfish to Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice charged the company with 15 criminal counts of intentionally transporting, possessing, or transferring invasive species. On Aug. 25, 2022, the Dane County Circuit Court accepted a guilty plea from the company. The court then convicted the company of 10 criminal counts.
Our hope is the outcome of this case can serve as a deterrent to other wholesale distributors to keep invasive red swamp crayfish out of Wisconsin.