Sen. Tom Bakk and Rep. David Dill Friday proposed the “Mom’s Amendment” — an effort to move up the opening weekend of the 2012 walleye fishing season by one week.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers said the proposal would give “citizens of Minnesota something to feel good about” during “what is shaping up to be a do-nothing legislative session.”
The proposal is intended to give the state’s tourism industry a boost, the lawmakers said.
“We have just come off an incredibly difficult winter for Minnesota’s resort and tourism industry, which saw almost no snow in most areas of the state and terrible ice conditions with record early ice-outs. Businesses that are dependent on winter tourism had a rough year, and an extra week of the fishing season would give them a big boost,” Bakk, DFL-Cook, and Dill, DFL-Crane Lake, said in their statement.
Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, said in a prepared statement that he backs the “Mom’s Amendment.”
“I’m enthusiastic about the idea and will fully support moving the fishing season’s opener up a week,” said Saxhaug. “Of course it makes sense to anglers, but it’s the right thing to do for resorts and tourism businesses in northern Minnesota, too. Especially after a winter where many businesses that rely on visitors to our lakes and trails struggled without much snowfall and early ice-outs, this will provide a boost in fishing tourism.”
Saxhaug said that while the fishing opener is scheduled to protect the state’s natural resources, this year’s early spring allows the state to consider moving up the opener because the fish are spawning earlier.
Offering the fishing opener on a weekend other than Mother’s Day may help people to take part in both events, the lawmakers said.
“For those of us that would be trying to juggle spending time with Mom and getting out on the lake this May 12, this proposal would be a big help,” said Saxhaug.
Bakk said he and others are often torn between the fishing opener and spending May 12 with Mom. “Of course, moms should be the priority, but this way Minnesotans can have both.”
Added Dill, “I used to have to do both on the same day — now I can focus on just Mom on her day.”
Bakk said he discussed the idea with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials Friday morning.
“With the fish spawn projected to be as much as a month early this year, there is no resource reason to not move the fishing season up by a week,” he said.
The lawmakers urged support for the proposal.
“I hope this proposal will pass with bipartisan support,” said Saxhaug. “Moving up the fishing opener is smart for northern Minnesota and is something that families across the state can get excited about.”
