Secretary Zinke proposes fishing access expansion at national wildlife refuges

Continuing his efforts to increase access to public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced yesterday a proposal to open more than 248,000 acres to new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities at 30 national wildlife refuges.

Opportunities include places like Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois and Wisconsin, and deer hunting in Philadelphia at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge being proposed for the first time. The proposal also outlines expanded hunting and fishing opportunities at 136 national wildlife refuges. If finalized, this would bring the number of units of the National Wildlife Refuge System where the public may fish to 312.

“As stewards of our public lands, Interior is committed to opening access wherever possible for hunting and fishing so that more families have the opportunity to pass down this American heritage,” Secretary Zinke said. “These 30 refuges will provide incredible opportunities for American sportsmen and women across the country to access the land and connect with wildlife.”

Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $156 billion in economic activity in communities across the United States in 2016 according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years. More than 101 million Americans – 40 percent of the U.S. population 16 and older – pursue wildlife-related recreation, such as hunting, fishing and birding.

“Ensuring public lands are open for multiple uses supports local economies and provides important opportunities for recreation. Further, this proposal means that families and individuals across our nation will be better able to participate in our nation’s tradition of hunting and fishing. We appreciate Secretary Zinke and the Interior Department for advancing this priority, and we will continue to work to improve access to public lands for our sportsmen,” said Senator John Hoeven.

“We applaud Secretary Zinke and the Fish and Wildlife Service for their continued commitment to increasing opportunities for hunting and fishing within the National Wildlife Refuge System,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Interior on increasing access for sportsmen and women.”

Hunting and/or fishing will expand or be opened on the following refuges:

• Arkansas: Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting.
• California: San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird hunting, and open sport fishing for the first time.
• Florida: Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge: Open wild turkey hunting for the first time.
• Illinois: Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting.
• Illinois and Missouri: Great River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting.
• Illinois and Wisconsin: Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge: Open migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting to all legal species in the State of Illinois.
• Indiana: Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game, big game hunting and sport fishing
• Maine: Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting; Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing white-tailed deer and wild turkey hunting.
• Maine and New Hampshire: Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge: Open wild turkey hunting for the first time, and expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting.
• Maryland: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird and big game hunting; Patuxent Research Refuge: Expand existing white-tailed deer and wild turkey hunting.
• Michigan: Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge: Open hunting of certain migratory bird, small game, and furbearers, and expand existing migratory game bird and big game hunting.
• Minnesota: Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge: Open certain gamebird and small mammal hunting for the first time, and expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting.
• Montana: Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing big game hunting; Swan River National Wildlife Refuge: Open big game hunting for the first time.
• New Jersey: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge: Open wild turkey and squirrel hunting for the first time, and expand existing migratory game bird and big game hunting.
• New Jersey and New York: Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird hunting and sport fishing.
• New Mexico: Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge: Open Eurasian-collared dove and Gambel’s quail hunting, and expand existing migratory game bird hunting.
• North Dakota: J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge: Open moose hunting for the first time; Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge: Open moose hunting for the first time.
• Ohio: Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge: Open white-tailed deer hunting for the first time; Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: Open hunting of certain gamebirds, small mammals and furbearers for the first time, and expand existing migratory game bird and big game hunting.
• Oregon: Cold Springs National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting; Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird hunting; William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing sport fishing.
• Pennsylvania: Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting; John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum: Open white-tailed deer hunting for the first time.
• Utah: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge: Expand existing migratory game bird and upland game hunting.
• Wisconsin: Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge: Open hunting of certain gamebirds, small mammals and furbearers for the first time, and expand existing migratory game bird and big game hunting.

The Service will seek comments from the public on the proposed rule for 30 days, beginning with publication in the Federal Register in coming days. The notice will be available at www.regulations.gov, docket no. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2018-0020, and will include details on how to submit your comments. An interim copy of the proposed rule is now available at https://www.fws.gov/home/pdfs/Proposed_2018-2019_Hunt_Fish_Rule_signed.pdf.