A pair of Lake Winnipeg commercial fishermen came to the state Capitol on Friday's Canadian holiday to protest North Dakota's planned outlet for Devils Lake flood water. They ended up talking to Gov. John Hoeven.

"They were friendly. They made their point," Hoeven said. "They just drove down to basically make their point and visit, and I appreciated their positive approach. I told them we're committed to making sure this is done right, and done well."

The outlet, which is expected to begin operating late this month, would divert Devils Lake flood water into the Sheyenne River. The Sheyenne is a tributary of the Red River, which flows north along the Minnesota border and eventually into Lake Winnipeg.

Canadian officials are concerned the outlet will introduce unfamiliar organisms from Devils Lake into Canadian waters. Hoeven says there is no proof the outlet would result in any new biota transfers.

Bruce Benson, of Gimli, Manitoba, told Hoeven that he believes the International Joint Commission should review the outlet project, an argument that has been repeatedly advanced by Canadian officials.

"There is a process in place for dealing with boundary waters … and we think it should be followed," Benson said. "If the IJC says it's fine, fine. But this is a process we know has worked in the past, and we have to live with it."

Hoeven says the Canadian government declined an IJC review three years ago, and the governor believes the present request for commission scrutiny is a stalling tactic.

"Regardless of all that, we're doing this in a way that protects our own citizens as well as the Canadians," Hoeven said.

The two fishermen pulled up in front of the Capitol on Friday in a pickup with an attached camper that sported the Canadian maple leaf, towing a small boat. The Capitol's south driveway and mall is visible from the governor's office, and Hoeven strolled out to meet them.

Friday was Canada Day, the nation's birthday.

Lake Winnipeg has walleye, sauger and whitefish. The province's commercial fishing industry accounts for annual sales of $30 million Canadian, according to the fisheries branch of the Manitoba Water Stewardship agency.