Fish and Wildlife Almanac, April 22 (published April 22, 2024)

Report fish die-offs to help DNR, others respond as needed

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages Minnesotans to contact the state duty officer if they see evidence of a fish die-off in a lake or stream. Fish die-offs can result from a variety of natural and human causes.

To report fish die-offs, people should call the Minnesota duty officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 (the duty officer line is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days a week). An early report facilitates timely water and fish sampling or other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what sizes and types of fish people see in a fish die-off.

More information on fish die-offs is available on the Minnesota DNR website.

Minnesota DNR webinars focus on spring warbler migration and record fish program

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the spring program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series.

In a webinar on Wednesday, April 24, Amy Simso Dean, an expert Minnesota birder, will share some basic tips on how to identify and where to find warblers this spring. She will also share some suggestions on how to introduce kids to birding. Dozens of species of warblers and millions of individual birds will be winging their way north through Minnesota over the next few weeks as part of their travels from tropical locales to their breeding grounds in Minnesota and points north. Spring is a great time of the year to see some of these original “snowbirds” up close and personal.

In a webinar on Wednesday, May 1, Mandy Erickson, DNR fisheries expert, will discuss the record fish program. This year, the DNR enhanced the program in a few ways, most notably by adding 18 species in the catch-and-release category beyond the four current species that were previously recognized. During the discussion, Erickson will talk about the enhancements to the program, what people should do if they catch a potential record fish, and how to properly measure and document catches.

The Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars are free and offered year-round, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the Minnesota DNR website for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.