ST. PAUL — The prospect of a financial rescue package for resorts struggling from a shortened walleye season at Mille Lacs Lake was put in limbo Thursday, as lawmakers froze talks about how to help and downplayed the likelihood of a special session.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources closed the walleye fishing season on Mille Lacs because a harvest quota was exceeded. It’s a potential blow to tourism in the area, prompting Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration to sketch out a plan to help businesses and leading to talks last week among state officials and lawmakers.

Any action would require a special session of the Legislature, but some lawmakers don’t think it’s necessary.

Thursday’s meeting ended abruptly, with a key lawmaker, Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, saying there’s no need to continue talking until Dayton calls the Legislature back to St. Paul or restarts the talks himself.

“We are not going to get consensus,” said Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings. “There’s too much angst over this. There’s too much unknown.”