You cannot mix politics and science - the state guys have to play by the rules.
A high level state fisheries biologist once told me that what he tells me in private, cannot be discussed in public.
Very true George. If they go out on a limb they risk losing their jobs.
In my state the stated position of the fish and wildlife division to produce quality size bluegill is the more bluegill you remove from a fisheries the more food there is to go around, and it's as simple as that, based on how many times proposals to create a bag limit on public waters is shot down in the state. However I can't believe all our fisheries biologists go along with that antiquated thinking, especially with all the new research that has come along in the last ten years. It also may have to do with keeping regulations simple vs. a document that is so complicated you almost need a law degree to comprehend it, which IMHO is the case in Michigan. (There I go picking on Michigan again!)
The truth be known I love Michigan and got my fisheries degree there from one of the junior community colleges everyone wants to make fun of. Funny thing is when I transferred to a university in Indiana, a year was all I could stomach as it was definitely inferior to the community college in Michigan.
