Here you are! I think the question on the poll was really about an idea that is more general, but some of you want specifics. In a day when more land is being restricted, I feel that is worth making our voices clear on the fact that just because some tree hugging, closed-minded city dweller doesn’t like the idea what he doesn’t understand.
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U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OPENS 19 NEW HUNTING AND FISHING PROGRAMS ON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
Hunters and anglers will have more chances to enjoy their favorite pastimes as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opens 9 more hunting programs and 10 fishing programs on units of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The new programs bring the total number of refuges and wetland management districts open to fishing to 268, and the number of hunting programs on refuge system units to 302. Spread over 94 million acres, more than 535 national wildlife refuges protect prime fish and wildlife habitat in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
"I'm pleased to announce these new outdoor opportunities at national wildlife refuges," said Acting Service Director Marshall P. Jones. "As we prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System in 2003, we continue to encourage Americans to visit refuges and discover the magnificent sportfishing and migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting opportunities that await them."
New refuge fishing programs:
Big Oaks NWR, Indiana
Clarence Cannon NWR*, Missouri
Clarks River NWR, Kentucky
Great River NWR*, Illinois and Missouri
Litchfield Wetland Management District, Minnesota
Middle Mississippi River NWR*, Illinois and Missouri
Port Louisa NWR*, Illinois and Iowa
Sacramento River NWR, California
Supawna Meadows NWR, New Jersey
Two Rivers NWR*, Illinois and Mississippi
New hunting programs in the refuge system:
Big Oaks NWR, Indiana (big game)
Clarence Cannon NWR*, Missouri (big game)
Clarks River NWR, Kentucky (migratory game bird, upland game, big game)
Grand Bay NWR, Alabama and Mississippi (migratory game bird, upland game, big game)
Great River NWR*, Illinois and Missouri (migratory game bird, upland game, big game)
Middle Mississippi NWR*, Illinois and Missouri (migratory game bird, upland game, big game)
Petit Manan NWR, Maine (migratory game birds, big game)
Port Louisa NWR*, Illinois and Iowa (migratory game bird, upland game, big game)
Two Rivers NWR*, Illinois and Missouri (upland game)
*denotes units of the former Mark Twain NWR in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri
The Service also made several technical corrections to the Code of Federal Regulations by recognizing the openings of Minidoka NWR in Idaho and Lacreek NWR in South Dakota for fishing and Litchfield Wetland Management District in Minnesota for migratory bird, upland game and big game hunting.
In 2000, there were nearly 2 million hunting visits and 6 million fishing visits to national wildlife refuges. By law, hunting and fishing are among the six "priority uses" of the refuge system, and individual refuges are encouraged to provide opportunities to hunt and fish when they are compatible with the refuge's wildlife conservation responsibilities. Other priority public uses on refuges include wildlife watching, photography and environmental education.
The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's most unique network of lands and waters set aside specifically for conservation of fish, wildlife and plants. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first refuge, 3-acre Pelican Island in Florida's Indian River Lagoon. Roosevelt went on to create 55 more refuges before he left office in 1909.
For nearly a century, national wildlife refuges have been great places to get away from it all and experience the great outdoors. As the National Wildlife Refuge System moves toward its centennial in 2003, the system has refined its mission to put wildlife conservation first while providing recreation and education opportunities for a growing number of visitors--more than 35 million last year alone.
To find out which national wildlife refuges have hunting and fishing programs, point your browser to
http://refuges.fws.gov/databases/profile-rec.taf function-form. A fact sheet about hunting and fishing on national wildlife refuges is at the end of this press release.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
- FWS -
Online poll to keep public land open to H&Fing
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