December 19, 2007
Dear Brine Shrimp Harvester:
A sampling run on the south arm of Great Salt Lake was conducted on December 17, 2007. The enumeration and analysis have been completed. All presented values are per liter of lake water.
The cumulative harvest poundage totals through harvest day December 18, 2007 are:
A brine shrimp harvest issue has recently come to the Division's attention that requires clarification. The Commercial Harvesting of Brine Shrimp and Brine Shrimp Eggs rule found in Utah Administrative Code R657-52 details a number of regulations relating to marking, identifying, and maintaining certificate or registration markers, boats, booms and other equipment. These regulations were promulgated by the Division to facilitate its enforcement operations during the harvest season, and do not extend any third-party beneficiary rights to competing harvest companies.
Accordingly, a harvest company's failure to strictly comply with these identification requirements does not authorize a competing company to encroach upon an otherwise properly claimed 300 yard encroachment protection radius without permission. The only remedy a harvest company may seek to rectify another company's equipment identification violations, or any other regulatory violation for that matter, is to report the matter to law enforcement.
An incorrect assumption has been made regarding the number of bags that must be properly marked for beach harvest. Each bag must be properly marked rather than just a portion of the bags. Marking every 5th or 10th bag is not sufficient.
We would like to wish everybody a happy holiday season. Thank you for your support of our work at The Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program.
Sincerely,
John Luft
Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program Manager