The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is looking to curb the spread of an invasive species in Lake Winnebago.
The DNR recently approved an emergency rule regarding the capture and take of the invasive round goby in Lake Winnebago and connecting tributaries.
A round goby was first reported in Lake Winnebago by an angler in June of last year. Since then, the presence of the invasive fish has been further reported, causing the DNR to take action in an attempt to get them out.
On the new regulations, the DNR stated, “The new emergency rule will allow anglers in the Winnebago System waters to keep in their possession any harvested round gobies provided that the fish are eviscerated, decapitated, or had their gills removed…angler harvest and reporting of all gobies taken will serve as a critical tool for tracking the presence of round gobies in the Winnebago System.”
Round gobies have been described as aggressive, invasive fish that reproduce quickly, which leads to the displacement of native fish populations.
Those who do catch a round goby are required to report the catch to the DNR.
More information on the emergency rule, as well as a link to report a catch, can be found by visiting dnr.wisconsin.gov.
