Trump’s Department of Interior Axing 7,500 Regs to Give Americans Access to Federal Land

And expansion of season dates, times, and methods for existing deer, turkey, and other upland game hunting to align with state seasons at Great River National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois and Missouri is in the plan.

The DOI press release said:

Proposed changes at hatcheries include the formal opening of lands on Leadville National Fish Hatchery in Colorado to migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting, and the formal opening of lands on Iron River National Fish Hatchery in Wisconsin to migratory game bird, upland game and big game hunting. Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery in Texas and Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery in Washington are proposing to formally open their lands to sport fishing.

Ed Carter, president of the Association and Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources, praised the development:

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is delighted by this announcement of a continuing commitment by the Department of the Interior to expanded access for regulated hunting and angling, on National Wildlife Refuges, in partnership with state fish and wildlife agencies. We need to get people outside to enjoy the lands and waters, and fish and wildlife resources, of our great nation. This is an important step in that direction.

John Devney, senior vice president at Delta Waterfowl, said Interior is building on the progress the Trump administration has made on including access to federal refuge lands since the president came into office.

“Duck hunters have been leaders in investing in the refuge system and this action will provide them with new access and opportunities,” Devney said. “We are sincerely grateful to Secretary Bernhardt and the Fish and Wildlife Service staff who have worked hard to create these new opportunities for hunters.”

“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds Secretary Bernhardt for his efforts to expand hunting and fishing opportunities within the National Wildlife Refuge System,” Jeff Crane, president of the foundation said. 

Bernhardt spoke to the Paul Bedard at the Washington Examiner, explaining what the president told him.

“He’s basically said, ‘Git-R-Done,’” Bernhardt said of the plan to eliminate 7,500 regulations to open up access to 1.4 million acres of federal land.

“The president fundamentally gets that hunters and anglers are the true conservationists in our society,” Bernhardt said. “He understands that history and that we need to act in efforts to expand hunting and fishing while at the same time being respectful of private land rights, respectful of state law.”

The announcement included some statistics about hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation activities in the United States:

• 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 age 16 and older — pursue wildlife-related recreation, including hunting and fishing.
• The Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 567 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts.
• A national wildlife refuge is within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas.
• More than 55 million Americans visit refuges every year.
• There are 70 national fish hatcheries visited by more than two million people each year.

“For more than 145 years, the National Fish Hatchery System has worked collaboratively with tribes, states, landowners, partners, and stakeholders to promote and maintain healthy, self-sustaining populations of fish and other aquatic species,” the press release said.

Story cited here.

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