Michigan Administrative Code
Department - Natural Resources
Fisheries Division
Commercial Fishing
Section R. 299.1074 - Areas and depths for use of commercial fishing devices; size of meshes in gill nets

(1) Including the statutory prohibitions of sections 2, 3, and 30a to 45 of Act No. 84 of the Public Acts of 1929, as amended, being SS308.2, 308.3, and 308.30a to 308.45 of the Michigan Compiled Laws; and by the provisions of section 1 of Act No. 179 of the Public Acts of 1935, section 1 of Act No. 180 of the Public Acts of 1931, as amended, and section 1 of Act No. 92 of the Public Acts of 1931, being SS308.141, 308.151, and 308.161 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, it is unlawful to use gill nets, trap nets, pound nets, seines, and set hooks, except in the manner, time, area, and depths hereinafter prescribed or as provided in a license issued by the director or in a research permit issued by a representative of the director.

(a) Gill nets with meshes 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches, stretch measure, may be used in depths greater than 60 fathoms if the lead lines of the gill nets are set on the bottom.

(b) Trap nets and pound nets may be used in depths less than 15 fathoms in Lake Superior January through October and during December.

(c) Trap nets and pound nets may be used in depths less than 15 fathoms in Lake Michigan January through October and during December, except trap nets and pound nets may be used only for taking smelt and alewife January through May in waters north of a line extending from the mouth of the Ford river in sections 21 and 22, T38N, R23W, to Peninsula point in section 24, T38N, R21W, Delta county.

(d) Gill nets with meshes 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches, stretch measure, may be used in depths greater than 40 fathoms north of a line extending due west from Grand Haven harbor; and in depths greater than 30 fathoms south of a line extending due west from Grand Haven harbor only at such times as to coincide with an open season on chubs established by the natural resources commission.

(e) Trap nets and pound nets maybe used in depths less than 15 fathoms January through October and during December in the waters of Lake Huron and connecting waters north of a line extending due east from Rogers City to the international boundary.

(f) Gill nets with meshes not less than 8 inches, stretch measure, may be used in waters of Saginaw bay south of a line from point Lookout in section 13, T19N, R7E, Arenac county, to Sand point in section 11, T1 7N, R9E, Huron county.

(g) Trap nets may be used from April 1 to May 31, and from September 15 to November 30 in an area north and east of Sand point within the following described boundaries: commencing at the monument on the westerly end of Sand point, thence easterly to the section line between section 7, T17N, R10E and Section 12, T17N, R9E; thence on a line due north for 2 miles; thence on a line due west to a point due north of the monument on Sand point; thence southerly to the point of beginning.

(h) Trap nets, seines, and set hooks may be used in waters of Saginaw bay south of a line from point Lookout in section 13, T19N, R7E, Arenac county, to Sand point in section 11, T17N, R9E, Huron county; and west of a line extending from Fish point, Tuscola county to the westerly point of Stony island, to the westerly point of North island; thence to the westerly end of Sand point in Huron county.

(i) Trap nets, seines, and set hooks may be used in Lake Erie.