Letter: Walleye policies need science, not sentiment before limits are lowered. Show us the data

To the editor:

Minnesota anglers care deeply about conservation, but it should be rooted in science – not optics. That’s why many of us are concerned about the Department of Natural Resources’ proposal to reduce the statewide walleye possession limit from six to four.

The DNR cites changing lake conditions and angler surveys yet has not released the biological evidence to support this change. Where are the lake-by-lake population models, harvest pressure data, or projections showing how a reduced limit would improve walleye fishing and sustainability?

In fact, the agency’s own data suggests most of the 1,000 lakes managed for walleye do not require a lower limit. Walleye populations are shaped more by habitat and food availability than by angler harvest alone and raises questions whethe