Whereas: – Fishing tournaments occur frequently on Bayfield County Lakes; and

– Tournaments often attract many hundreds of participants from near and far; and

– It is in the best interest of the public, including all tournament participants and organizers, to protect our waters from aquatic invasive species (AIS) and Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM); and

– Multiple day, multiple-lake tournaments encourage boaters to travel from lake to lake, resulting in many lakes being fished by many boaters; and

– Many landings on the lakes used in multiple-lake tournaments experience substantial boat launch traffic; and

– Success by the participants often requires quick launching and landing of boats, frequently resulting in less than adequate time and attention being paid to proper cleaning of boats and equipment between landings; and

– Many of the lakes included in multiple-lake tournaments are infested with EWM and other AIS; and

– AIS contamination of lakes and streams can result in substantial loss in property values and tax base; and

– AIS contamination can all but eliminate recreational boating on a lake and devastate the fishery; and

– A dime-sized fragment of EWM can contaminate an entire lake; and

– The State of Wisconsin has determined that the primary means of AIS contamination of lakes and streams is from AIS being transported on boating equipment; and

– Professional Clean Boats-Clean Waters trained landing monitors, paid with public funds, have been shown to be most effective in educating boaters, intercepting AIS on boating equipment prior to launch and preventing infestation of lakes and streams; and

– The general public, normally responsible for wages of Clean Boats-Clean Waters trained landing monitors, should not have to bear this cost because it benefits commercial and/or non-commercial enterprises and/or individuals; and

– Tournament registration fees generate substantial revenue for the tournament sponsors and rewards for participants; and

– Fishing tournament rules can be effective in modeling the behavior of the participants; and

– Protection of Bayfield County’s water resources far outweighs the entertainment of those individuals who use them; and

– Simple steps can be made to both protect our waters and provide a quality fishing tournament.

Now therefore be it resolved that the Bayfield County Lakes Forum calls for the following 7 items:

All fishing tournaments that include any Bayfield County inland lake or stream shall use only one landing on that lake or stream.

Professionally trained CB-CW landing monitors, approved and supervised by the local lake association and/or town government, shall be employed by the tournament organizers to monitor all landings used in the event.

The CB-CW monitors shall be employed at the landing(s) one hour prior to the opening time of the event until one hour after close on every day of the event.
All fishing tournament rules shall state “All participants must have boats, trailers and boating equipment inspected by CB/CW trained monitors when launching for tournament purposes in any lake included in the event. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of tournament entry fees.” (Exception: Boats that are permanently moored or docked on a lake could be used without disqualification.)

All fishing tournament rules shall state “Use of any landing or access other than approved for this event shall result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of tournament entry fees.”
All fishing tournament rules shall state “Violation of County or State aquatic plant and animal transport regulations shall result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of tournament entry fees.”

A list of AIS contaminated waters included in the tournament shall be provided to participants prior to the event with instructions to carefully inspect boats, trailers and equipment, especially when leaving these waters.

Be it further resolved that the Bayfield County Lakes Forum calls upon the Bayfield County Board and the State of Wisconsin to provide adequate law enforcement officers to enforce AIS transport and related boating violations at fishing tournaments.

Unanimously approved at the January 17, 2009 meeting of the Bayfield County Lakes Forum Board of Directors

Jim Brakken, BCLF President