News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2010

 
Ohio Wildlife Council Passes Regulations Affecting Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles
All rules go into effect on March 1, 2011 

 
COLUMBUS, OH – At the April 7 meeting of the Ohio Wildlife Council, rules affecting fish, amphibians and reptiles were passes according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.
 
The Ohio Wildlife Council passed a 15-inch minimum size limit on walleye, sauger and saugeye on 16 inland waterways. The lakes or reservoirs include Acton (Butler and Preble counties), Alum Creek (Delaware County), Atwood (Carroll and Tuscarawas counties), Buckeye (Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties), Caesar Creek (Clinton, Greene and Warren counties), Ferguson (Allen County), Findlay (Hancock County), Indian (Logan County), Lake Snowden (Athens County), Metzger (Allen County), Piedmont (Belmont, Guernsey and Harrison counties), Pleasant Hill (Ashland and Richland counties), Rocky Fork (Highland County), Seneca (Guernsey and Noble counties), Tappan (Harrison County) and West Branch (Portage County).

This regulation is designed to improve the number and size of walleye, sauger and saugeye populations in these lakes, which means better fishing for Ohio’s anglers. This proposal will go into effect March 1, 2011.

A number of rules concerning the taking, possession and propagation of native Ohio amphibians and reptiles have been approved. Two Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) sections that now deal with these species will be combined into one OAC section for ease of understanding.

In 2000, rules were implemented dealing with native Ohio amphibians and reptiles. Since that time, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag technology has changed and the laws will be updated to reflect the new technology and record keeping. 

Rules dealing with certain turtles and frogs were also approved. The daily bag limit for bullfrogs and green frogs will be raised to 15. There will be no possession limit on these frogs. Those pursuing frogs will still have to have a valid fishing license.

Snapping and softshell turtles will have a minimum shell size limit of 13 inches imposed for harvest. The closed season for these turtles will be extended from May 1 through June 30. Currently, the closed season for these turtles is May 1 through the second Friday in June. The proposal allows continued turtle harvest for food while restricting the take of the most viable breeding-age female turtles.

All lands owned, controlled, administered or under agreement with the Division of Wildlife will be closed to collection of reptiles and amphibians, with the exception of bullfrogs, green frogs, snapping and softshell turtles. This rule will take a holistic approach to the management of amphibians and reptiles, ensuring sustainable populations continue to persist on state lands.