Use of sonar prohibition when fishing for muskellunge or northern pike in certain waters

A bill for an act

relating to game and fish; prohibiting the use of sonar when fishing for muskellunge

or northern pike in certain waters; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section

97C.335.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.335, is amended to read:

97C.335
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USE OF
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RESTRICTIONS ON USING
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ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS
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AND

SONAR
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TO TAKE FISH
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PROHIBITED
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.

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Subdivision 1.

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Using lights prohibited.

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(a) A person may not use artificial lights to lure

or attract fish or to see fish in the water while spearing, except that while angling or spearing,

a person may:

(1) affix a lighted artificial bait with hooks attached to the end of a fishing line; or

(2) use a lighted decoy for spearing.

(b) A battery that is used in lighted fishing lures must not contain mercury.

(c) The restrictions in paragraph (a) do not apply to bow fishing.

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Subd. 2.

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Using sonar.

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(a) While fishing for muskellunge or northern pike in waters

identified by the commissioner as waters where muskellunge populations are naturally

reproducing and not primarily maintained through stocking, a person may not use, operate,

or possess any of the following in an active or deployable state:

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(1) live imaging sonar, forward-facing sonar, omnidirectional sonar, or drones; or

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(2) equipment, software, or systems that use, integrate with, or enhance live imaging

sonar, including but not limited to technologies employing artificial intelligence, predictive

modeling, real-time data processing, or wireless communication between devices or

components to locate, track, or target muskellunge or northern pike.

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(b) Possession of any of the items described in paragraph (a) on waters identified by the

commissioner as waters where muskellunge populations are naturally reproducing and not

primarily maintained through stocking, shores of those waters, or islands in those waters is

presumptive evidence that the person is in violation of this subdivision, unless:

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(1) the equipment is powered off;

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(2) the equipment has all power and transducer cables physically disconnected from the

unit;

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(3) the equipment has all disconnected power leads and transducer connections visibly

secured in a manner that prevents immediate reconnection, including but not limited to

being capped, taped, clamped, or otherwise enclosed; and

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(4) the equipment, software, or systems cannot be made operational via wireless, remote,

or software- or application-based activation without deliberate physical connection.

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