Minn. fishing license sales down 30 percent from 2010
Sales of Minnesota fishing licenses before this year's opener were down nearly 30 percent compared with the same time last year.
The Department of Natural Resources says license sales are the lowest they've been in 12 years. DNR fisheries chief Dirk Peterson says the later, cool spring on the heels of an early, warm spring in 2010 may be why the numbers seem so low.
Peterson says in 2010 and 2009, the DNR saw an "uptick" in the number of licenses.
"People are taking more as they term them, closer to home staycations. And a fishing license is a heck of a bargain at 25 bucks to take your husband and wife and two kids out fishing at a lake."
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More than 257,000 licenses had been sold on the Friday before the opener, down from nearly 367,000 at the same time in 2010, and from the 12-year average of 364,000 on that date.
Peterson adds most licenses are sold after mid-May.
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Information from: The Duluth News Tribune
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