MPR’s Jim Ragsdale reports on concerns and anger of Ely outfitters, as the gradual restrictions of motorized vehicle use to Boundary Waters lakes take effect, following the 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act.

Reports includes interviews with various outfitters in the area about the drop in business and visitors.

Transcript:

(00:00:00) I didn't well, but really that's three small ones. That's true. And I got this one. I'll have my I'm a little bit before before noon. What's that?
(00:00:09) The first weeks of the fishing season brought Governor perpetuate his Fishing Party to Ely. The visit was intended to direct attention toward Minnesota's tourist attractions. But while the governor was posing for pictures with his morning catch veteran Ely area Outfitters like Bob Olsen were worrying about the effects of the next round of restrictions on The Boundary Waters canoe area. Leah for it is the BWC a and it's miles of lakes and portage's which separates Ali from the depressed Iron Range communities down the highway Olson was born and raised in Ely and got to know the lake country is a boy. He has been in the outfitting business since 1950 and he now has his own business in Ely the 1978 law gradually restricted motorboat use in the BWC a as a means of improving the outdoors experience for canoeists. Certain Lakes were close to motor use immediately. And next year three legs often used by group setting out from Ely Knife Lake Crooked Lake and a portion of Basswood. Lake will be closed to Motors Olson says these phased-in restrictions have hurt the tourist business. He says many of the Anglers who want stowed their power boats up to Ely each summer have not made the transition to canoes
(00:01:19) before 78 lat the Outfitters not all of them. But most of them were probably 35 percent of their parties were motor users. Hers and since 78 probably 30% of them never came back because they were just used to using the motor and they weren't going to paddle some came back one year and tried paddling and then after one year, they never did come back.
(00:01:45) Clearly. There are still a lot of water open to motor boats. But Olson says he believes many tourists are deterred by the quota systems imposed to keep down the numbers of boaters and canoeists in addition to the BWC a restrictions the Canadian. I meant restricts the number of parties allowed to cross the border into Ontario's Quantico Provincial Park Quantico borders. The BWC a the forest service says the quotas do make it harder to enter the BWC a through certain popular entry points Olsen believes. The result is that fishing groups can no longer make spur-of-the-moment trips to Ali area
(00:02:20) lakes the drop in business. We used to have years ago. Now the corner system has completely eliminated that not that only entry points are full. But all the Publications that do come out the from your TV's to your newspapers to your magazines. They say don't come to you unless you got your entry permit well ahead of
(00:02:43) time also known as also troubled by the continuing loss of resorts in the area the 1978 law provided that the government would offer to buy out Resort owners on certain Lakes if the owners chose to sell for a service officials say the government has bought out or made plans to buy a Teen Resorts the total cost has been six point two million dollars and another 21 resorts are eligible on Moose Lake about six miles east of elite Resort owners. Say the loss of the powerboat business has been a major reason that four of the five Resorts. There are closing down and selling out. Bob
(00:03:18) Olsen. You've had about eight or ten resorts in the area of sold out through government because they could not live under the restrictions of the 78 Wilderness Bill been a lot of lakes that were we're on the Edge at the resort has used motors were eliminated completely and this is had it's going to have quite an effect on Ely area. As far as the economy goes you get eight or ten Resorts and see each one of them brings in Thousand bodies of Summer. It's going to be 10,000 less people Milling around the town of Ely to purchase articles from your restaurants souvenir shops gas stations motels and it's going to I can see it's really going to kill the town of
(00:04:01) Healy despite the economic costs of the law for his business also in acknowledges that the BWC a restrictions have made The Boundary Waters a more enjoyable experience for those who do get into the area for the
(00:04:13) ones that do get in get their permits. Definitely. It's a lot less people but still you've got all your, you know Outfitters that are paying taxes trying to make a living and before they had the quota system in like an early 70s things were blooming looking. Real good. Nobody complain then that the area was over ran or
(00:04:33) anything. Bob Olsen and Outfitter from Ely. This is Jim Ragsdale reporting.