Minnesota Opinion Too many anglers leave trash behind on ice

From Forum News Service
A recent editorial from a Minnesota newspaper.
Too many anglers leave trash behind on ice
Is your fish house off the lake yet?
You have less than two weeks to do it. The deadline for our area is midnight on March 2.
There’s more to the process than just pulling your house off the lake. You must remember to take all the junk that’s been accumulating in the fish house as well - all those cans, bottles, food packages, bait containers and other debris.
Too many ice anglers are shirking that responsibility.
Recent weekly activity reports from conservation officers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are full of evidence of various types of refuse being discarded along frozen waterways.
“Once again, the most common complaint dealt with while on patrol involved anglers leaving their trash behind,” said Conservation Officer Bret Grundmeier of Hinckley. Grundmeier spends hours each ice fishing season checking anglers and encouraging them to clean up after themselves and remove garbage from lakes.
“It is disappointing to find so much trash left on our lakes,” Grundmeier said. “Anglers are urged to police themselves and others.”
Conservation officers see everything from wooden fish house blocking materials on lakes to empty propane cylinders, and even bags of human waste. All of these materials constitute litter. Littering is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.
Used materials should be disposed of with local refuse haulers or at a local landfill. Litter tarnishes nature’s beauty, destroys wildlife habitats and ruins many opportunities for recreation.
Conservation officers say that excuses like, “I was going to go get that later,” will not work and anyone who leaves garbage on the ice will receive a citation for littering.
The DNR offers the following tips to keep Minnesota waterways clean:
n Set an example for others, especially children, by not littering.
n Properly dispose of any materials that could trap or injure wildlife.
n Check with a local refuse provider or landfill for disposal of items.
n Keep a litter bag or trash container with you when traveling or outdoors.
n Secure trash container covers to prevent wind or animals from spreading litter.
n Cover and secure any vehicle, truck, or trailer carrying refuse.
n When visiting any recreation area, make sure to leave the area clean for the next person to enjoy.
Remember these words from a DNR conservation officer: The area outside your fish house is not your front yard. It’s public waters.
- Echo Press, Alexandria