Dear angler,

 The Magic Valley Region has concluded its fishing rules proposal process and has provided the below listed recommendation for review by the Fisheries Bureau (Boise Headquarters) and the Fish and Game Commission.

We truly appreciate hearing from so many anglers during this rules process and we hope to continue hearing from you on this or other fishing related issues in the future.  Thank you.

Proposed Fishing Rules: 2008-2009

Magic Valley Region

Recommendation to the Commission

Approximately 500 individual comments were provided to the Department through email, phone, walk-in, random statewide mail survey, and letters.  Several comments were provided that represented large groups including (not limited to) Trout Unlimited Hemingway Chapter, Trout Unlimited Magic Valley Fly Fishers, Sun Valley Real Estate-LLC, local outfitters and a citizen sponsored petition (90 signatures).

 The Region recommends the Commission consider adopting only the proposed change associated with the daily bag limit on Lime Creek (Table 1).  The Region also recommends the Commission consider modifying the Department’s Float Tube definition.

Table 1.     Regional recommendations and public comment summary regarding fishing rule changes for consideration in the 2008-2009 fishing regulations.

Regional. Recom.	YES	NO	Proposed rule change
NO	52 %	48 %	Standardize the bag limit throughout Silver Creek including all tributaries.  Place rainbow trout under Catch-and-Release rules and establish a general limit for brown trout (6 fish) while maintaining existing gear and tackle restrictions.
NO	51 %	49 %	Eliminate boat restrictions except the general “No motors” exception.
YES	- NA -	- NA -	Eliminate 2 trout limit on Lime Creek and its tributaries. Adopt general trout regulations.

*        Results include comments received by October 1, 2007 and have been corrected for redundant comments.  Results (%) represent those anglers that provided comments other than “no opinion”.

Silver Creek:

Regional recommendations were largely based upon economic impacts, sociopolitical issues, public views on fish species within the fisheries, angler comments, and biological significance associated with the proposed changes.

 Given the social nature of the existing regulations, the Department did not find sufficient public support to move forward on the proposed changes.  Specifically, there is no overriding social demand to change regulations in Silver Creek. 

Support for the Silver Creek proposed changes were highly polarized. The overwhelming majority of local anglers were opposed to the changes, whereas those surveyed (internet, random mail) were supportive of the changes.  Most anglers who provided comments directly to the region regarding bag limit changes indicated brown trout were an integral or desired component of the Silver Creek fishery.  Additionally, anglers were either adamantly opposed to any harvest or concerned about harvest related fishery impacts.  The vast majority of comments received regionally were opposed to lifting the boat restriction citing increased congestion (associated conflict), negative angling experience, and habitat impacts.  Results from the random statewide mail survey and the internet survey showed great support for both the bag limit changes and the lifting of the boat restriction. 

The proposal to lift the boat restriction was intended to address the increased availability of single-occupancy water crafts that do not fit the Departments existing float tube definition.  Most public concerns centered on the use of multiple-occupancy water craft such as canoes, row boats, and large pontoon boats.  A slight modification of the Department’s float tube definition would address both the Departments original intention and the publics concerns.  We propose the following definition be considered by the Commission:

Float Tube:  A single occupancy water craft that is not propelled by oars, paddles, or motors.

Lime Creek:

The Region received very little comment on this proposed change. The random statewide mail survey showed 93% of respondents (excluding the No Opinion respondents) supported the change.  This change would eliminate an unnecessary exception and have minimal social impacts therefore we would recommend the Commission adopt the proposal.

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Douglas Megargle
Regional Fishery Manager: Region 4 Office

Idaho Department of Fish and Game
319 South 417 East
Jerome, Idaho 83338
(208) 324-4359