Creel Limits in Minnesota: A Proposal for Change

Recent research has indicated that creel limits are largely ineffective in regulating recreational fish harvest in Minnesota. Current creel limits give an unrealistic picture of the biological capabilities of Minnesota's fisheries and less than 5% of angler-trips culminate with the harvesting of a creel limit. We present evidence that high creel limits may cause anglers to have unrealistic expectations of their potential harvest. When fishing success expectations are not met, the result is often dissatisfied anglers. We propose reducing creel limits to more appropriate levels by using a probability angling management strategy. These new limits would be based on past recreational harvest data from completed angler-trips. Our goal is to select creel limits that more anglers could attain, or come closer to attaining. Over time, we anticipate reduced creel limits would function more as an educational tool and may help anglers develop more realistic expectations of Minnesota's fisheries.