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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced as part of
Great Outdoors Month the agency is proposing to expand fishing and hunting
opportunities on 21 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The proposed rule also modifies existing refuge-specific regulations for
more than 100 additional refuges and wetland management districts.
“The Service is committed to strengthening and expanding hunting and
fishing opportunities,” said Ashe. “By expanding hunting and fishing
programs across the Refuge System we are furthering a rich tradition of
providing quality recreational opportunities to the American people. These
programs support local economies, help people connect with the outdoors,
and encourage people to value nature.”
National wildlife refuges provide premier outdoor recreational
opportunities across the Nation. There are more than 560 national wildlife
refuges and 38 wetland management districts, including one within an hour’s
drive from most major metropolitan areas. The Service manages refuge
hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations,
while offering traditional wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.
Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the
Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of
wildlife-dependent recreation when they are compatible with an individual
refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is
permitted on 335 wildlife refuges. Fishing is permitted on 271 wildlife
refuges.
Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities on refuges help stimulate the
economy and generate funding for wildlife conservation. The Service’s
report *Banking on Nature* <http://www.fws.gov/refuges/
shows that refuges pump $2.4 billion into the economy and support more than
35,000 jobs. More than 47 million people visit refuges every year.
Other wildlife-dependent recreation on national wildlife refuges includes
wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and
interpretation.
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