September 29, 2011
Commercial fishing and bait regulations to be set

PRATT — The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission will conduct a public meeting and hearing on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Pratt Operations Office basement conference room, 512 SE 25th Ave. in Pratt. The afternoon session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m.

The afternoon session will begin with time for public comments on non-agenda items, followed by a general discussion period on the following topics:

• Secretary’s remarks;
• agency and state fiscal status;
• 2012 legislative agenda;
• welcome to Pratt by local entities;
• tourism briefing; and
• Hillsdale Shooting Range update.

The afternoon will also include a workshop session, in preparation for potential future regulatory action, covering preliminary recommendations on the following regulations:

• big game permanent regulations;
• potential changes in deer regulations for 2012;
• big game 25-Series regulations – deer;
• big game 25-Series regulations – elk/antelope;
• falconry regulations;
• fall turkey regulations; and
• second state park motor vehicle permit.

The commission will recess at 5 p.m., then reconvene at 7 p.m. at the same location for a public hearing on the following regulations:

• K.A.R. 115-8-1, department lands and waters — hunting, furharvesting, discharge of firearms, and Public Lands Reference Document;
• K.A.R. 115-2-3, camping — utility and other fees;
• K.A.R. 115-8-9, camping — general provisions;
• K.A.R. 115-8-10, pets — provisions and restrictions;
• cabin camping rates;
• K.A.R. 115-17-1, commercial harvest of fish bait — legal species, harvest seasons, size restrictions, daily limits, and possession limits;
• K.A.R. 115-17-2, commercial sale of bait fish — testing procedures;
• K.A.R. 115-17-2a, commercial sale of bait fish — possible amendment to testing procedures;
• K.A.R. 115-17-3, commercial fish bait permit — requirement, application, general provisions, and possible amendment;
• K.A.R. 115-17-4, commercial harvest of fish bait — legal equipment, taking methods, and general provisions;
• K.A.R. 115-17-5, commercial harvest of fish bait — open areas;
• K.A.R. 115-17-10, commercial harvest of fish — permit requirement, application, reports, and permit revocation;
• K.A.R. 115-17-11, commercial harvest of fish — legal equipment and taking methods, identification tags, and identification tag fee;
• K.A.R. 115-17-12, commercial harvest of fish — legal species, seasons, size restrictions, daily limits, and possession limits; and
• K.A.R. 115-25-14, fishing — creel limit, size limit, possession limit, and open season.

Time will be set aside in both the afternoon and evening sessions for public comment on topics that are not on the agenda. If necessary, the commission will recess on Oct. 13 and reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., Oct. 14, to complete unfinished business.

Live video and audio streaming of this meeting will be broadcast through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us.

If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission secretary at 620-672-5911.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Dec. 6 at the KDWPT Region 2 Office basement meeting room, 300 SW Wannamaker Road in Topeka. This will be a special session on bait regulations.
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