CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, Mo. (KBSI) – The Missouri Department of Conservation has issued an emergency fish rescue order for North County Park Lake in Cape Girardeau County Park. The order is in effect now through Sept. 30.
The emergency fish salvage order allows anglers to take as many fish as possible to minimize waste.
MDC issued the order because a major leak occurred on the north side of the lake, causing the water depth to drop significantly.
During the term of the order, anglers may take all species of fish from the lake (except endangered species listed in 3 CSR 10-4.111 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri).
In addition to the fishing methods already authorized for the lake, the ordinance also allows anglers to fish with gigs, hooks, grapples, dip nets, cast nets, seines and by hand during the hours when North County Park Lake in Cape Girardeau County is open to the public and for fishing.
These temporary parameters allow the existing fish population to be utilized before fish die-offs occur due to the shallowness of the lake and lack of oxygen.
The parameters apply only to North County Park Lake in Cape Girardeau County.
All other permit, seasonal and limitation requirements remain in place.
Anglers between the ages of 16 and 65 must still have a valid Missouri fishing license to fish in the lake.
North Park Lake in Cape Girardeau County is approximately 8.1 acres in size. It is owned by Cape Girardeau County and the fishery is managed by MDC through the Community Assistance Program (CAP).
The lake is open for fishing Sunday to Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
