From the AP – also on Pioneer Press and KSTP websites.
ST. PAUL (AP) – Minnesota anglers who get ticketed for violating fishing rules and regulations most likely forgot their license – or didn’t bother to buy one, according to a computer analysis by the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Of the more than 8,000 fishing tickets issued by the Department of Natural Resources last year, the two most common violations were forgetting to carry a license or simply not buying one, according to the analysis published Sunday.
“Some are honest mistakes, and they’ll get a warning,” said Maj. Al Heidebrink, operations manager for the DNR’s Division of Enforcement. “But others will say, ‘Ah, I thought I’d save a little money’ or ‘I didn’t think I’d get caught.’ “
Besides license violations, conservation officers ticketed anglers for more than one line, taking more fish than allowed and, during the winter, using an improperly marked fish house.
The DNR’s conservation officers are easy on people who forget to take their licenses with them. Last year, officers issued 2,659 warnings without fines and 582 tickets with fines to anglers who forgot to carry their fishing licenses, making it the most common fishing violation, the analysis showed.
But officers gave fines to 1,370 anglers who simply never bought a license and another 576 warnings for that violation.
An annual Minnesota resident fishing license costs $17; a nonresident annual license costs $34.
The third most frequent fishing violation was angling with an extra line, with 947 warnings or tickets issued in 2004. Anglers can use only one fishing line on inland waters, but two lines on the Mississippi River.
The fourth most frequent violation was an improperly marked or unmarked fish house. Officers wrote 916 warnings or tickets for that violation. Taking an over-limit of fish ranked No. 5 on the list, with 262 tickets and 55 warnings written for that violation.
All told, residents received 6,743 warnings or tickets last year, while nonresidents were issued 890 warnings or tickets. Anglers younger than 18, either residents or nonresidents, received 467 warnings or tickets.
Conservation officers were prone to go easy on anglers, the analysis showed. They wrote more warnings (4,738) than tickets that carry fines (3,760). Officers said they’re more apt to educate and warn anglers about minor infractions, such as forgetting to carry a fishing license or improperly marking a fish house.
