Trump’s Cabinet is putting his America First policies into place, including at the Department of Interior, where Secretary David Bernhardt announced a plan to open up more than 1.4 million acres of federal land through the elimination of some 7,500 regulations.
The land, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, includes 74 national wildlife refuges and 15 national fish hatcheries.
Bernhardt said:
President Trump is committed to expanding public access on public lands, and this proposal is executing on that directive by opening and increasing more access to hunting and fishing by the Fish and Wildlife Service at more stations and across more acres than ever before. Hunting and fishing are more than just traditional pastimes as they are also vital to the conservation of our lands and waters, our outdoor recreation economy, and our American way of life.
“These refuges and hatcheries provide incredible opportunities for sportsmen and women and their families across the country to pass on a fishing and hunting heritage to future generations and connect with wildlife,” Bernhardt said.
The press release on the announcement said: