reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.361 — Restrictions On Fish Houses And Dark Houses In Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

97C.361 RESTRICTIONS ON FISH HOUSES AND DARK HOUSES IN BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA.
A person may only use a portable fish house or dark house within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The house must be removed from the waters and collapsed or disassembled each night. The house may not remain in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area if the person leaves the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 34
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.363 — Storing Garbage And Other Waste On Ice.

97C.363 STORING GARBAGE AND OTHER WASTE ON ICE.
Subdivision 1.
Prohibition.
A person using a shelter, a motor vehicle, or any other conveyance on the ice of state waters may not deposit garbage, rubbish, cigarette filters, debris from fireworks, offal, the body of a dead animal, litter, sewage, or any other waste outside the shelter, motor vehicle, or conveyance unless the material is:
(1) placed in a container that is secured to the shelter, motor vehicle, or conveyance; and
(2) not placed directly on the ice or in state waters.
Subd. 2.
Definition.
For purposes of this section, "sewage" means excrementitious or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals, together with such other water as may be present.
Subd. 3.
Penalty.
A violation of this section is a petty misdemeanor, and a person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty of $100 for each violation.
History:
2023 c 60 art 4 s 66
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.371 — Spearing Fish.

97C.371 SPEARING FISH.
Subdivision 1.
Species allowed.
Only rough fish, catfish, lake whitefish, cisco (tulibee), and northern pike may be taken by spearing.
Subd. 2.
Dark houses required for certain species.
Catfish, lake whitefish, cisco (tulibee), and northern pike may be speared only from dark houses.
Subd. 3.
Restrictions while spearing from dark house.
A person may not take fish by angling or the use of tip-ups while spearing fish in a dark house, except that a person may take fish by angling if only one angling line is in use and any fish caught by angling is immediately released to the water or placed on the ice.
Subd. 4.
Open season.
The open season for spearing through the ice is November 15 through the last Sunday in February.
Subd. 5.
Nonresidents.
Nonresidents may spear from a fish house or dark house.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 36; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 41; 2006 c 281 art 2 s 50,51; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 66; 2009 c 176 art 2 s 60; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 67-69
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.375 — Taking Rough Fish By Spearing.

97C.375 TAKING ROUGH FISH BY SPEARING.
(a) A resident or nonresident may take rough fish by spearing according to paragraph (b) and during the times, in waters, and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) Suckers may be taken by spearing from the last Saturday in April through the last Sunday in February.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 37; 1993 c 269 s 26; 2009 c 176 art 2 s 61; 2013 c 121 s 49
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.376 — Bow Fishing.

97C.376 BOW FISHING.
Subdivision 1.
Season.
(a) The regular bow-fishing season for residents and nonresidents is from the last Saturday in April to the last Sunday in February at any time of the day.
(b) The early bow-fishing season for residents and nonresidents is open only south of State Highway 210 from the Monday after the last Sunday in February to the Friday before the last Saturday in April at any time of the day. During the early season, a person may bow fish:
(1) only from a boat; and
(2) only while on a lake or on the Mississippi, Minnesota, or St. Croix River.
Subd. 2.
Possessing bows and arrows.
A person may possess bows and arrows for the purposes of bow fishing on or within 100 feet of waters at any time from the last Saturday in April to the last Sunday in February and at other times on lakes and rivers south of State Highway 210 as specified in subdivision 1, paragraph (b), subject to local ordinances. A person must take reasonable measures to retrieve arrows and wounded fish.
Subd. 3.
Nighttime restrictions on motors.
(a) From sunset to sunrise, the noise limits for total noise while bow fishing must not exceed a noise level of 65 decibels on the A scale measured at a distance of 50 feet from the motorboat or equivalent noise levels at other distances as specified by the commissioner in a pass-by test.
(b) The noise limits under paragraph (a) shall be determined under a test procedure approved by the commissioner under section 86B.321, subdivision 2.
(c) The noise limits in paragraph (a) do not preclude enforcement of other laws relating to motorboat noise.
(d) The noise levels under section 86B.321 apply to persons traveling to and from bow-fishing sites from sunset to sunrise.
Subd. 4.
Nighttime shooting; restrictions.
A person shall not discharge an arrow while bow fishing within 150 feet of an occupied structure or within 300 feet of a campsite from sunset to sunrise.
Subd. 5.
Returning rough fish to waters.
Rough fish taken by bow fishing shall not be returned to the water, and rough fish may not be left on the banks of any water of the state.
History:
2009 c 176 art 2 s 62; 2013 c 121 s 50-52
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.381 — Harpooning Rough Fish.

97C.381 HARPOONING ROUGH FISH.
A resident or nonresident may use a rubber powered gun, spring gun, or compressed air gun to take rough fish by harpooning. The harpoon must be fastened to a line not more than 20 feet long. The commissioner may prescribe the times, the waters, and the manner for harpooning rough fish.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 38; 1994 c 467 s 1
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.385 — Commissioner's Authority To Regulate Winter Fishing.

97C.385 COMMISSIONER'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE WINTER FISHING.
Subdivision 1.
Effect on summer angling season.
If the commissioner closes the statutory open season for the spearing of a game fish species in any waters, the commissioner must, in the same rule, close the following statutory open season for angling for the same species in the waters in the same proportion.
Subd. 2.
Effect on summer angling limits.
If the commissioner reduces the limit of a species of game fish taken by spearing in any waters under section 97A.045, subdivision 2, the commissioner must reduce the limit for taking of the species by angling in the waters during the following open season for angling.
Subd. 3.
Limiting closures by county.
The commissioner may not close the open season for taking game fish through the ice on more than 50 percent of the named lakes or streams of a county under section 97A.045, subdivision 2.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 39; 1991 c 259 s 23
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.391 — Buying And Selling Fish.

97C.391 BUYING AND SELLING FISH.
Subdivision 1.
General restrictions.
A person may not buy or sell fish taken from the waters of this state, except:
(1) minnows;
(2) rough fish;
(3) smelt taken from Lake Superior and rivers and streams that flow into Lake Superior;
(4) fish taken under licensed commercial fishing operations;
(5) fish that are private aquatic life; and
(6) fish lawfully taken and subject to sale from other states and countries.
Subd. 2.
Restrictions on certain game fish.
Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, muskellunge, and sunfish may be bought or sold by a private hatchery or aquatic farm, or as prescribed by the commissioner.
Subd. 3.
Rules.
The commissioner may by rule establish reasonable conditions on the buying and selling of fish that would prevent or slow the spread of certifiable diseases and invasive species.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 40; 1987 c 318 s 8; 1992 c 566 s 21; 1993 c 231 s 59; 2008 c 307 s 15; 1Sp2019 c 4 art 3 s 72
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.395 — Open Seasons For Angling.

97C.395 OPEN SEASONS FOR ANGLING.
Subdivision 1.
Dates for certain species.
(a) The open seasons to take fish by angling are as follows:
(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the last Sunday in February;
(2) for lake trout, from January 1 through October 31;
(3) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake on all lakes located outside or partially within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 15 through March 31;
(4) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 1 through March 31;
(5) for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January 1 through October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in section 97C.415, subdivision 2; and
(6) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.
(b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning and closing the season will protect the resource.
Subd. 2.
Continuous season for certain species.
For sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, catfish, rock bass, white bass, yellow bass, burbot, cisco (tullibee), lake whitefish, and rough fish, the open season is continuous.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 41; 1989 c 242 s 2; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 42; 2005 c 146 s 46; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 67; 2009 c 176 art 2 s 63; 2012 c 277 art 1 s 75; 1Sp2019 c 4 art 3 s 73; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 70
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.401 — Limits.

97C.401 LIMITS.
Subdivision 1.
Duty to prescribe limits.
Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the commissioner shall, by rule, prescribe the limits on the number of each species of fish that may be taken in one day and the number that may be possessed.
Subd. 2.
Walleye.
A person may have no more than one walleye larger than 20 inches in possession. This subdivision does not apply to boundary waters.
Subd. 3.
Gar.
The commissioner must annually establish daily and possession limits for gar under section 84.027, subdivision 13, paragraph (b).
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 42; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1993 c 185 s 2; 1994 c 523 s 1; 2005 c 146 s 47; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 68; 2017 c 93 art 2 s 102; 1Sp2021 c 6 art 2 s 74
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.411 — Sturgeon And Paddlefish.

97C.411 STURGEON AND PADDLEFISH.
Lake sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, and paddlefish may not be taken, bought, sold, transported or possessed except as provided by rule of the commissioner. The commissioner may only allow the taking of these fish in waters that the state boundary passes through and in tributaries to the St. Croix River.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 44; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1996 c 410 s 45
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.415 — Trout And Salmon.

97C.415 TROUT AND SALMON.
Subdivision 1.
Hours for taking trout restricted.
A person may not take trout, except lake trout, between 11:00 p.m. and one hour before sunrise.
Subd. 2.
Lake Superior streams.
The commissioner may prescribe the open season and conditions for taking brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead trout, and salmon in any portion of a stream that flows into Lake Superior.
Subd. 3.
Salmon.
The commissioner may prescribe, by rule, the method of taking and possessing salmon.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 45; 1991 c 259 s 23
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.417 — Reporting Invasive Carp.

97C.417 REPORTING INVASIVE CARP.
A person who takes any of the following invasive carp species must report the type of carp taken to the commissioner within seven days of taking:
(1) grass carp (
Ctenopharyngodon idella
);
(2) bighead carp (
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
); or
(3) silver carp (
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
).
History:
2007 c 131 art 1 s 50; 2014 c 289 s 48
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.502 — Minnows And Leeches; Invasive Species Training Required.

97C.502 MINNOWS AND LEECHES; INVASIVE SPECIES TRAINING REQUIRED.
Subdivision 1.
Minnows; invasive species training required.
A minnow dealer, and each person working under the minnow dealer's license, must annually satisfactorily complete aquatic invasive-species-related training provided by the commissioner before taking, selling, or transporting for sale minnows within the state.
Subd. 2.
Training certification required.
Minnow dealers, and each person working under the minnow dealer's license, must have a valid invasive species training certification in possession while taking, selling, or transporting for sale minnows within the state. A person who only sells minnows for the licensed minnow dealer at a retail location is not required to have a training certification.
Subd. 3.
Leeches; invasive species training required.
A resident under age 18 must annually satisfactorily complete aquatic invasive-species-related training provided by the commissioner before taking, selling, or transporting for sale leeches within the state. A resident under age 18 must have a valid invasive species training certification in possession while taking, selling, or transporting for sale leeches within the state.
History:
2014 c 290 s 54
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.505 — Minnows.

97C.505 MINNOWS.
Subdivision 1.
Authority to take, possess, buy, and sell.
(a) Minnows may be taken, possessed, bought, and sold, subject to the restrictions in this chapter, section 84D.03, subdivision 3, and rules adopted by the commissioner under paragraph (b). A person may not take, possess, or sell minnows except for use as bait or for ornamental or aquacultural purposes.
(b) The commissioner may adopt rules for the taking, possession, purchase, sale, and transportation of minnows.
Subd. 2.
Continuous open season.
The open season for taking minnows is continuous, except as provided in subdivision 3.
Subd. 3.
Closing waters.
The commissioner may close any state waters for commercially taking minnows if a survey is conducted and the commissioner determines it is necessary to close the waters to prevent depletion or extinction of the minnows.
Subd. 4.
[Repealed, 1Sp1995 c 1 s 48]
Subd. 5.
Restrictions on taking from trout waters.
A person may not take minnows from designated trout lakes or trout streams without a special permit issued by the commissioner.
Subd. 6.
Approved equipment required.
A person must use equipment approved by the commissioner to possess or transport minnows for sale. This subdivision does not apply to licensed aquatic farms.
Subd. 7.
Interference prohibited.
A person may not knowingly damage, disturb, or interfere with legal commercial minnow harvest operations.
Subd. 8.
Possession for minnow dealers.
When nets and traps are lawfully set and tended, minnows and incidentally taken game fish under four inches in length are not considered to be in possession until the minnows or game fish are placed on a motor vehicle or trailer for transport on land.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 47; 1992 c 566 s 22; 1993 c 231 s 61; 1997 c 226 s 40; 2002 c 270 s 8; 2008 c 307 s 16; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 23
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.511 — Minnow Seines.

97C.511 MINNOW SEINES.
Subdivision 1.
Size restrictions.
Except as provided in subdivision 2, a person may not take minnows with a seine longer than 25 feet, and deeper than:
(1) 148 meshes of 1/4-inch bar measure;
(2) 197 meshes of 3/16-inch bar measure; or
(3) four feet of material of less than 3/16-inch bar measure.
Subd. 2.
Licensed minnow dealers.
A minnow dealer may take minnows with a seine that is not longer than 50 feet, and not deeper than:
(1) 222 meshes of 1/4-inch bar measure;
(2) 296 meshes of 3/16-inch bar measure; or
(3) six feet of material of less than 3/16-inch bar measure.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 48
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.521 — Transporting Carp Fingerlings Prohibited.

97C.521 TRANSPORTING CARP FINGERLINGS PROHIBITED.
Except as provided in section 17.4984, subdivision 2, paragraph (g), a person may not transport live carp fingerlings.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 50; 2000 c 331 s 5
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.525 — Restrictions On Transporting Minnows.

97C.525 RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSPORTING MINNOWS.
Subdivision 1.
Applicability.
This section does not apply to the transportation of 24 dozen minnows, or less, or to transportation with a permit issued under section 97C.515, subdivision 2.
Subd. 2.
Transporting out of state.
A person may not transport minnows out of the state, except as provided in this section.
Subd. 3.
Minnow dealers.
A resident minnow dealer or a nonresident exporting minnow dealer may transport minnows out of the state. A nonresident exporting minnow dealer must possess a bill of lading issued by a resident minnow dealer with an exporting minnow dealer's license. The bill of lading must be on a form furnished by the commissioner and must state the nonresident exporting minnow dealer's name and address, the route through the state, number and species of minnows, and the time it was issued.
Subd. 4.
Minnow retailers.
A minnow retailer transporting minnows from a place of wholesale purchase to the retailer's place of business must use the most reasonably direct route.
Subd. 5.
Out-of-state vehicles.
The nonresident exporting minnow dealer must transport the minnows out of the state within 24 hours of the time of issuance stated on the bill of lading. A person may not transport minnows in a motor vehicle licensed in another state without an exporting minnow dealer's vehicle license.
Subd. 6.
Common carrier.
An exporting minnow dealer may transport minnows by common carrier and must provide on request by the commissioner information pertaining to product, quantity, and destination.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 51; 1990 c 502 s 5; 1993 c 226 s 19; 2004 c 255 s 40,41
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.601 — Frogs.

97C.601 FROGS.
Subdivision 1.
Season.
The open season for frogs is May 16 through March 31. The commissioner may, by rule, establish closed seasons in specified areas.
Subd. 2.
License required.
(a) A person may not take or possess frogs without an angling license if the person is required to have an angling license to take fish.
(b) A person may not purchase, possess, and transport frogs for purposes other than bait without a license to purchase, possess, and transport frogs.
(c) A person may not take, possess, transport, and sell frogs for purposes other than bait without a license to take, possess, transport, and sell frogs.
Subd. 3.
Taking with cloth screens prohibited.
A person may not use cloth screens or similar devices to take frogs.
Subd. 4.
Taking with artificial lights.
The commissioner may issue permits to take frogs with the use of artificial lights in waters designated in the permit.
Subd. 5.
Limits.
(a) A person may possess frogs, up to six inches long, without limit if the frogs are possessed, bought, sold, and transported for bait.
(b) Unless the commissioner prescribes otherwise, a person may possess frogs over six inches long and:
(1) transport the frogs, except by common carrier; and
(2) sell the frogs in any quantity during the open season.
(c) The length of a frog is measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the hind toes, with the legs fully extended.
Subd. 6.
Rules.
The commissioner shall prescribe rules for taking, buying, selling, possessing, importing, and transporting frogs for purposes other than bait.
Subd. 7.
For human consumption.
The commissioner may issue permits for importing, raising, and selling frogs for human consumption.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 52; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1993 c 231 s 62; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 71
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.605 — Turtles.

97C.605 TURTLES.
Subdivision 1.
Taking turtles; requirements.
(a) A person may not take, possess, or transport turtles without a resident angling license and a recreational turtle license.
(b) Turtles taken from the wild are for personal use only and may not be resold.
Subd. 2.
MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 60 art 4 s 112]
[See Note.]
Subd. 2a.
MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 60 art 4 s 112]
[See Note.]
Subd. 2b.
MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 60 art 4 s 112]
[See Note.]
Subd. 2c.
License exemptions.
(a) A person does not need the licenses specified under subdivision 1:
(1) when buying turtles from a licensed aquatic farm or licensed private fish hatchery for resale at a retail outlet or restaurant;
(2) when buying a turtle at a retail outlet;
(3) to take, possess, and rent up to 25 turtles greater than four inches in length for the purpose of providing the turtles to participants at a nonprofit turtle race, if the person is a resident under age 18. The person is responsible for the well-being of the turtles; or
(4) if under 16 years of age when possessing turtles. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a person under the age of 16 may possess, without a license, up to three snapping or western painted turtles, provided the turtles are possessed for personal use and are within the applicable length and width requirements.
(b) A person with an aquatic farm license with a turtle endorsement or a private fish hatchery license with a turtle endorsement may sell, obtain, possess, transport, and propagate turtles and turtle eggs without the licenses specified under subdivision 1.
(c) Turtles possessed under this subdivision may not be released back into the wild.
Subd. 3.
Taking; methods prohibited.
A person may not take turtles by using:
(1) explosives, drugs, poisons, lime, and other harmful substances;
(2) traps;
(3) nets other than anglers' fish landing nets;
(4) commercial equipment;
(5) firearms and ammunition;
(6) bow and arrow or crossbow; or
(7) spears, harpoons, or any other implements that impale turtles.
Subd. 4.
[Repealed, 2002 c 351 s 34]
Subd. 5.
MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 60 art 4 s 112]
[See Note.]
Subd. 6.
Rules.
The commissioner may adopt rules for taking turtles. The commissioner may prescribe seasons, limits, closed areas, and other restrictions and requirements the commissioner deems necessary for the conservation of turtles.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 53; 1989 c 266 s 2,3; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 43; 2000 c 495 s 44,45; 2002 c 351 s 23; 2003 c 107 s 28; 2004 c 215 s 30,31; 1Sp2021 c 6 art 2 s 75; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 72-74
NOTE:
The repeal of subdivisions 2, 2a, 2b, and 5 is effective January 1, 2024. The text may be viewed at MS 2022 in the statutes archives.
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.611 — Turtle Species; Limits.

97C.611 TURTLE SPECIES; LIMITS.
Subdivision 1.
Snapping turtles.
A person may not possess more than three snapping turtles of the species
Chelydra serpentina
. Until new rules are adopted under section 97C.605, a person may not take snapping turtles of a size less than ten inches wide including curvature, measured from side to side across the shell at midpoint. After new rules are adopted under section 97C.605, a person may only take snapping turtles of a size specified in the adopted rules.
Subd. 2.
Western painted turtles.
(a) A person may not possess more than three Western painted turtles of the species
Chrysemys picta
. Western painted turtles must be between 4 and 5-1/2 inches in shell length.
(b) This subdivision does not apply to persons acting under section 97C.605, subdivision 2c, paragraph (a).
Subd. 3.
MS 2022 [Repealed by amendment, 2023 c 60 art 4 s 75]
Subd. 4.
Other species.
A person may not possess any other species of turtle except with an aquatic farm or private fish hatchery license with a turtle endorsement or as specified under section 97C.605, subdivision 2c.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 54; 1989 c 266 s 4; 2002 c 351 s 24; 1Sp2021 c 6 art 2 s 76; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 75
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.621 — Areas May Be Closed To Taking Turtles.

97C.621 AREAS MAY BE CLOSED TO TAKING TURTLES.
The commissioner may prohibit the taking of turtles from state waters where operations are being conducted to aid fish propagation.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 56
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.701 — Taking Mussels.

97C.701 TAKING MUSSELS.
Subdivision 1.
Commissioner's authority.
The commissioner may by rule set size limits and prescribe conditions for the taking, possession, transportation, sale, and purchase of mussels.
Subd. 1a.
[Repealed, 2017 c 93 art 2 s 166]
Subd. 2.
[Repealed, 1993 c 269 s 32]
Subd. 3.
[Repealed, 1993 c 269 s 32]
Subd. 4.
[Repealed, 1993 c 269 s 32]
Subd. 5.
[Repealed, 1993 c 269 s 32]
Subd. 6.
[Repealed, 2017 c 93 art 2 s 166]
Subd. 7.
Harvesting mussel shells.
Live mussels may not be harvested. A person possessing a valid resident or nonresident angling license or a person not required to have an angling license to take fish may take and possess at any time, for personal use only, not more than 24 whole shells or 48 shell halves of dead freshwater mussels. Mussel shells may be harvested in waters of the state where fish may be taken by angling. Mussel shells must be harvested by handpicking only and may not be purchased or sold.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 57; 1993 c 269 s 28,29; 2017 c 93 art 2 s 104
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.801 — Taking Rough Fish On Mississippi River.

97C.801 TAKING ROUGH FISH ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
Subdivision 1.
[Repealed, 1997 c 216 s 90; 1997 c 226 s 51]
Subd. 2.
Commercial fish netting on Mississippi River.
(a) A license is required to commercially take rough fish with seines in the Mississippi River from the St. Croix River junction to St. Anthony Falls.
(b) A person may take rough fish in the Mississippi River, from the St. Croix River junction to St. Anthony Falls, only with the following equipment and methods:
(1) operations shall be conducted only in the flowing waters of the river and in tributary backwaters prescribed by the commissioner;
(2) seines may be used only as prescribed by this section and rules adopted by the commissioner;
(3) seines must be hauled to a landing immediately after being placed;
(4) two seines may not be joined together in the water; and
(5) a seine may not be landed between sunset and sunrise.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 60; 1997 c 216 s 90; 1997 c 226 s 41
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.805 — Netting Lake Whitefish And Ciscoes.

97C.805 NETTING LAKE WHITEFISH AND CISCOES.
Subdivision 1.
Open season.
(a) The commissioner shall, by rule, prescribe the open season and open state waters for netting lake whitefish and ciscoes. The commissioner may open specific lakes and waters that are otherwise closed if the commissioner posts notice of the date and time in appropriate public places at least 48 hours before the open season begins.
(b) The commissioner may close specific lakes and waters that are otherwise open under this subdivision if the commissioner posts notice of the closing at a minimum of three sites on the shore of the waters, including all public water-access sites. Before closing waters under this paragraph, the commissioner shall determine that the closure is necessary to protect game fish populations.
Subd. 2.
Restrictions.
(a) Netting lake whitefish and ciscoes is subject to the restrictions in this subdivision.
(b) A person may not use:
(1) more than one net;
(2) a net more than 100 feet long; or
(3) a net more than three feet wide.
(c) The mesh size of the net may not be less than:
(1) 1-3/4 inches, stretch measure, for nets used to take ciscoes; and
(2) 3-1/2 inches, stretch measure, for all other nets.
(d) A net may not be set in water, including ice thickness, deeper than six feet.
(e) The commissioner may designate waters where nets may be set so that portions of the net extend into water deeper than six feet under conditions prescribed by the commissioner to protect game fish. A pole or stake must project at least two feet above the surface of the water or ice at one end of the net.
(f) A net may not be set within 50 feet of another net.
(g) A person may not have angling equipment in possession while netting lake whitefish or ciscoes.
Subd. 3.
Fish may not be sold.
Notwithstanding section 97C.391, subdivision 1, lake whitefish and ciscoes taken under this section may not be bought or sold.
Subd. 4.
No limit on rough fish netted.
Lake whitefish and ciscoes taken under this section may be taken and possessed without limit. Rough fish caught while netting may be retained. All other fish taken while netting must be returned to the water immediately.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 61; 1988 c 588 s 14; 1991 c 259 s 22; 1993 c 231 s 63-65; 1Sp2021 c 6 art 2 s 77
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.815 — Commercial Fishing Areas.

97C.815 COMMERCIAL FISHING AREAS.
Subdivision 1.
Designation.
The commissioner shall specify inland commercial fishing areas, taking into account the amount, size, and proximity of waters specified, the species to be removed, and the type and quantity of fishing gear and equipment necessary to provide an adequate removal effort. The commissioner may change inland commercial fishing area boundaries by rule prior to a new licensing period.
Subd. 2.
Assignment.
(a) The commissioner shall assign licensed inland commercial fishing operators to commercial fishing areas and each operator is obligated to fish in the area that the commissioner has assigned to them. The commissioner's assignment is valid as long as the assigned operator continues to purchase a license, continues to provide an adequate removal effort in a good and professional manner, and is not convicted of two or more violations of laws or rules governing inland commercial fishing operations during any one license period. In the operator assignment, the commissioner shall consider the proximity of the operator to the area, the type and quantity of fish gear and equipment possessed, knowledge of the affected waters, and general ability to perform the work well.
(b) Area assignments must not restrict permits and contracts that the commissioner issues to governmental subdivisions and their subcontractors for invasive species control.
Subd. 3.
Unused areas.
If an area is not assigned, or the operator licensed for the area is not fishing that area, the commissioner may issue a special inland commercial fishing permit for the area. The permit may be issued to an individual holding a valid inland commercial fishing license. The permit must describe the specific waters involved, the county, the species to be removed, the equipment to be used, and the time period of the total operation.
Subd. 4.
Inland Commercial Fishing Trade Association; license problems.
The commissioner shall consult with representatives of the Inland Commercial Fishing Trade Association when disagreements arise in the areas of license issuance, problems with performance pursuant to the license, transfers of licenses, area assignments, and the entry of new commercial fishing operators into the inland commercial fishery.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 63; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1996 c 410 s 47; 1Sp2019 c 4 art 3 s 74
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.821 — Possessing, Selling, And Transporting Commercial Fish.

97C.821 POSSESSING, SELLING, AND TRANSPORTING COMMERCIAL FISH.
Subdivision 1.
Transporting and holding commercial fish.
Subject to the applicable provisions of the game and fish laws, fish taken under commercial fishing licenses may be possessed in any quantity, bought, sold, and transported at any time. Commercial fishing licensees may transport their catch live to holding facilities, if the licensee has exclusive control of the facilities. Licensees must annually provide the legal description and verification of exclusive control on forms provided by the commissioner with the license application. Commercial fishing licensees may harvest fish from their holding facilities at any time with their licensed gear. The commissioner may prohibit the transport of live fish taken under a commercial fishing license from waters that contain nonnative species, are listed as infested waters, or are infected with any certifiable disease.
Subd. 2.
Invasive species certification.
(a) A commercial fishing licensee, and each apprentice working under the licensee's commercial fishing license, must annually complete invasive species training provided by the commissioner and pass an examination to qualify to take, sell, or transport commercial fish within the state.
(b) A commercial fishing licensee, and each apprentice working under the licensee's commercial fishing license, must have a valid invasive species training certification in possession while taking, selling, or transporting commercial fish within the state.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 64; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 44; 2004 c 243 s 38; 2008 c 307 s 20; 2014 c 289 s 49; 2014 c 290 s 55
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.825 — Lake Of The Woods And Rainy Lake Fishing.

97C.825 LAKE OF THE WOODS AND RAINY LAKE FISHING.
Subdivision 1.
New commercial fishing licenses prohibited.
The commissioner may not issue a new commercial fishing license that allows netting of game fish on Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake.
Subd. 2.
Restrictions on fish and nets.
The following rules and restrictions shall apply to all commercial fishing operations conducted in Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake unless otherwise changed by rule of the commissioner under authority of section 97A.045, subdivision 4:
(1) Any fish, except largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, muskellunge, crappies, sturgeon, and sunfish, may be taken subject to all other restrictions contained in the game and fish laws.
(2) Pound net mesh and staked trap net mesh may not be less than 2-1/2 inches nor more than four inches stretch measure in the pound or crib.
(3) Gill net mesh may not be less than four inches stretch measure, and may not be more than 30 meshes in width.
(4) Fyke net mesh may not be less than 2-1/2 inches nor more than four inches stretch measure in the pot or crib. Fyke nets may not have a hoop or opening more than six feet in height, wings more than 100 feet in length, nor a lead more than 400 feet in length.
(5) Submerged trap net mesh may not be less than 2-1/2 inches nor more than three inches stretch measure in the heart, pot, or crib. A submerged trap net may not have a pot or crib exceeding 150 square feet in area, a lead exceeding 300 feet in length, nor a pot or lead exceeding 12 feet in depth.
Subd. 3.
Net limits for individual operators.
A person may not operate more than six pound nets, 4,000 feet of gill nets, eight submerged trap nets, ten fyke or staked trap nets, or one pound net station.
Subd. 4.
Net location.
Nets may only be set at a place consented to by the commissioner.
Subd. 5.
Net limits for Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake.
(a) The maximum amount of nets permitted to be licensed shall be:
(1) in Lake of the Woods, 50-pound nets, 160 submerged trap nets, and 80 fyke or staked trap nets; and
(2) in Rainy Lake, 20-pound nets.
(b) Commercial fishing may be prohibited in the Minnesota portions of international waters when it is prohibited in the international waters by Canadian authorities.
Subd. 6.
[Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52]
Subd. 7.
[Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52]
Subd. 8.
[Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52]
Subd. 9.
[Repealed, 2005 c 146 s 52]
Subd. 10.
Taking eggs for propagation; commissioner's rule.
The commissioner may require a person licensed to take fish for commercial purposes in the waters covered by this section to take eggs for propagation purposes when it can be done in connection with the licensed commercial fishing. The eggs must be taken under rules prescribed by the commissioner.
History:
1985 c 248 s 70; 1986 c 386 art 3 s 65; 1991 c 259 s 23; 2005 c 146 s 48; 2020 c 83 art 1 s 15
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.831 — Namakan And Sand Point Lakes; Commercial Fishing.

97C.831 NAMAKAN AND SAND POINT LAKES; COMMERCIAL FISHING.
Subdivision 1.
Lake whitefish and rough fish.
Lake whitefish and rough fish may be taken by licensed commercial fishing operators unless otherwise changed by rule of the commissioner, under section 97C.805, subdivision 1, from Namakan Lake and Sand Point Lake.
Subd. 2.
Gill nets prohibited on Sand Point Lake.
Gill nets may not be used in Sand Point Lake.
Subd. 3.
Maximum amount of nets in Sand Point Lake.
The maximum amount of nets permitted to be licensed in Sand Point Lake shall be 12 pound, fyke, or submerged trap nets.
Subd. 4.
Maximum amount of nets in Namakan Lake.
The maximum amount of nets that may be licensed in Namakan Lake shall be (1) 7,000 feet of gill net, with a mesh not less than four inches stretch measure, and (2) 12 pound, fyke, or submerged trap nets.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 66; 1991 c 259 s 23
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.836 — Lake Superior Lake Trout; Expanded Assessment Harvest.

97C.836 LAKE SUPERIOR LAKE TROUT; EXPANDED ASSESSMENT HARVEST.
The commissioner shall provide for taking of lake trout by licensed commercial operators in Lake Superior management zones MN-3 and MN-2 for expanded assessment and sale. The commissioner shall authorize expanded assessment taking and sale of lake trout in Lake Superior management zone MN-3 beginning annually in 2007 and zone MN-2 beginning annually in 2010. Total assessment taking and sale may not exceed 3,000 lake trout in zone MN-3 and 2,000 lake trout in zone MN-2 and may be reduced when necessary to protect the lake trout population or to manage the effects of invasive species or fish disease. Taking lake trout for expanded assessment and sale shall be allowed from June 1 through September 30, but may end earlier in the respective zones if the quotas are reached. The quotas must be reassessed at the expiration of the current ten-year Fisheries Management Plan for the Minnesota Waters of Lake Superior.
History:
2007 c 131 art 1 s 54; 1Sp2021 c 6 art 2 s 78; 2023 c 60 art 4 s 76
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.841 — Apprentice License.

97C.841 APPRENTICE LICENSE.
(a) A person with a commercial fishing license may list one person as an apprentice on the license. A person acting as an apprentice for a commercial fishing licensee must have an apprentice license. The commercial fishing licensee or the apprentice listed on the license must be present at all commercial fishing operations including going to and from fishing locations, or in setting or lifting nets, or removing fish from nets. A person possessing an angling license may assist the holder of a master's or apprentice license in going to and from fishing locations, or in setting or lifting nets, or removing fish from nets.
(b) An apprentice license is transferable to another by the holder of a master's license applying to the commissioner.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 68; 1996 c 410 s 50
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.843 — Possession For Commercial Netting.

97C.843 POSSESSION FOR COMMERCIAL NETTING.
When commercial nets, seines, bags, or cribs are lawfully set and tended, incidentally taken fish not included in the license are not considered in possession if they are returned to the water or if they are tagged in accordance with section 97C.835 before they are placed on a motor vehicle or trailer for transport on land.
History:
2002 c 270 s 9
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.845 — Interference With Commercial Fishing.

97C.845 INTERFERENCE WITH COMMERCIAL FISHING.
A person may not:
(1) knowingly place or maintain an obstruction that will hinder, prevent, or interfere with a licensed commercial fishing operation;
(2) remove fish from nets licensed under the game and fish laws; or
(3) knowingly damage, disturb, or interfere with commercial fishing nets.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 69
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.851 — Commercial Fishing In International Waters; Resort Owners.

97C.851 COMMERCIAL FISHING IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS; RESORT OWNERS.
A license to buy or sell fish or to take fish commercially in international waters extending from Pigeon Point West to the North Dakota boundary line may not be issued to a person engaged in the business of conducting a summer resort, or to a member of the person's household or to an employee of the person.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 70
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.855 — Upper And Lower Red Lake And Nett Lake; Transportation, Sale, And Disposal.

97C.855 UPPER AND LOWER RED LAKE AND NETT LAKE; TRANSPORTATION, SALE, AND DISPOSAL.
The commissioner may, by rule, allow the transportation, sale, and disposal of fish taken within the Red Lake Indian Reservation on Upper Red Lake and Lower Red Lake and from waters within the Nett Lake Indian Reservation also known as Bois Forte Indian Reservation.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 71; 1991 c 259 s 23
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.861 — Fish Vendors; Requirements.

97C.861 FISH VENDORS; REQUIREMENTS.
Subdivision 1.
License required.
A person may not sell fish with the use of a motor vehicle without a fish vendor's license.
Subd. 2.
Misrepresenting fish.
(a) A licensed fish vendor or the vendor's employee may not misrepresent a species of fish to be sold. If a licensed fish vendor or employee of the fish vendor is convicted of misrepresenting a species of fish that is sold, the license shall be revoked, and the licensee is not eligible to obtain a fish vendor's license for one year after revocation.
(b) Misrepresentation includes the designation of fish by a name other than its common name in:
(1) the state; and
(2) in the locality where it was taken if it is not generally known by any common name in the state.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 72
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 97 - 102 — Game And Fish › Chapter 97C — Fishing › Section 97C.865 — Fish Packers.

97C.865 FISH PACKERS.
Subdivision 1.
License required; records.
(a) A person engaged in a business providing services to a person taking fish may not prepare dressed game fish for shipment without a fish packer's license. The fish packer must maintain a permanent record of:
(1) the name, address, and license number of the shipper;
(2) the name and address of the consignee; and
(3) the number of each species and net weight of fish in the shipment.
(b) The records of the fish packer must be made available to an enforcement officer upon request.
Subd. 2.
Rules.
The commissioner may adopt rules establishing requirements for labeling and packing fish under a fish packer's license. The commissioner shall require only the license number of the fish packer, the name and license number of the angler or person who lawfully possesses the fish, the name of the lake on which the fish were caught, the species of fish, and the number of fish to appear on a label. The commissioner must not allow sauger to be labeled as walleye.
History:
1986 c 386 art 3 s 73; 1993 c 231 s 66; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 69
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 103A - 114B — Water › Chapter 103A — Water Policy And Information › Section 103A.001 — Citation; Water Law.

103A.001 CITATION; WATER LAW.
Chapters 103A, 103B, 103C, 103D, 103E, 103F, and 103G constitute the water law of this state and may be cited as the "Water Law."
History:
1990 c 391 art 1 s 1
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 103A - 114B — Water › Chapter 103A — Water Policy And Information › Section 103A.201 — Regulatory Policy.

103A.201 REGULATORY POLICY.
Subdivision 1.
Policy.
To conserve and use water resources of the state in the best interests of its people, and to promote the public health, safety, and welfare, it is the policy of the state that:
(1) subject to existing rights, public waters are subject to the control of the state;
(2) the state, to the extent provided by law, shall control the appropriation and use of waters of the state; and
(3) the state shall control and supervise activity that changes or will change the course, current, or cross section of public waters, including the construction, reconstruction, repair, removal, abandonment, alteration, or the transfer of ownership of dams, reservoirs, control structures, and waterway obstructions in public waters.
Subd. 2.
Wetlands findings; public interest.
(a) Wetlands identified in the state under section 103G.005, subdivision 19, do not:
(1) grant the public additional or greater right of access to the wetlands;
(2) diminish the right of ownership or usage of the beds underlying the wetlands, except as otherwise provided by law;
(3) affect state law forbidding trespass on private lands; and
(4) require the commissioner to acquire access to the wetlands.
(b) The legislature finds that the wetlands of Minnesota provide public value by conserving surface waters, maintaining and improving water quality, preserving wildlife habitat, providing recreational opportunities, reducing runoff, providing for floodwater retention, reducing stream sedimentation, contributing to improved subsurface moisture, helping moderate climatic change, and enhancing the natural beauty of the landscape, and are important to comprehensive water management, and that it is in the public interest to:
(1) achieve no net loss in the quantity, quality, and biological diversity of Minnesota's existing wetlands;
(2) increase the quantity, quality, and biological diversity of Minnesota's wetlands by restoring or enhancing diminished or drained wetlands;
(3) avoid direct or indirect impacts from activities that destroy or diminish the quantity, quality, and biological diversity of wetlands; and
(4) replace wetland values where avoidance of activity is not feasible and prudent.
History:
1990 c 391 art 1 s 2; 1991 c 354 art 1 s 2
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 103A - 114B — Water › Chapter 103A — Water Policy And Information › Section 103A.202 — Wetland Policy.

103A.202 WETLAND POLICY.
The legislature finds that it is in the public interest to preserve the wetlands of the state to conserve surface waters, maintain and improve water quality, preserve wildlife habitat, reduce runoff, provide for floodwater retention, reduce stream sedimentation, contribute to improved subsurface moisture, enhance the natural beauty of the landscape, and promote comprehensive and total water management planning.
History:
1990 c 391 art 1 s 3
2023 Minnesota Statutes › Chapters 103A - 114B — Water › Chapter 103A — Water Policy And Information › Section 103A.203 — Hydropower Policy.

103A.203 HYDROPOWER POLICY.
The legislature finds that:
(1) the public health, safety, and welfare of the state are also promoted by the use of state waters to produce hydroelectric or hydromechanical power in a manner consistent with laws relating to dam construction, reconstruction, repair, and maintenance; and
(2) the leasing of existing dams and potential dam sites primarily for power generation is a valid public purpose.
History:
1990 c 391 art 1 s 4