DNR to launch panfish hearings

Public meetings to help shape panfish management

MADISON, Wis. — The state Department of Natural Resources is scheduled to launch an extensive series of public hearings on panfish management this week.

The first hearing is set for Tuesday evening at Ben Franklin Junior High School in Stevens Point. The meeting will be the first in a series of 28 hearings on the future of panfish management in the state.

Attendees will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their concerns, issues and priorities for panfish. DNR fisheries experts also will present information on local fish populations.

The agency wants to use the information as it develops a statewide management plan for panfish.

Panfish is a general term that can include perch, bluegill, bass or any smaller fish that are big enough to catch legally but still fit in a frying pan.