DOI announces largest hunting and fishing expansion in history

SAGINAW, Mich. (KLKN) — Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the historic opening and expansion of over 850 hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres at 147 wildlife refuge and national fish hatcheries. This rule is the single largest expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in history.

“On the heels of President Trump signing the most significant conservation and recreation funding in US history, providing nearly $20 billion over the next 10 years to fix and conserve the American people’s public lands, the Trump Administration has now made an additional 2.3 million acres accessible to new hunting and fishing opportunities,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “We continue to take significant actions to further conservation initiatives and support sportsmen and women who are America’s true conservationists.”

The final rule opens or expands 859 hunting and fishing opportunities. On top of last year’s expansion of 1.4 million acres for new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities, this proposal would bring the Trump Administration’s total expansion to over 4 million acres nationwide.

The final rule will be published in the Federal Register. Docket Number: FWS-HQ-NWRS-2020-0013.