Interior Department wants to triple opportunities for hunting in nation's Wildlife Refuge System
May 2 (UPI) -- Federal officials are proposing to roughly triple the number of hunting opportunities across the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System, the U.S. Department of the Interior confirmed Friday.
The proposal would see 42 new hunting opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the department's systems, including the first-ever sanctioned hunting opportunity in the newly established Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge.
Opportunities will expand in 16 National Wildlife Refuge System stations and one National Fish Hatchery System station in 11 states. The system is made up of 573 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts.
The proposal would amount to more than tripling the number of hunting opportunities under President Donald Trump's administration. It would also more than quadruple the number of fishing stations, the department said in a statement Friday.
"Expanding recreational access to our public lands isn't just about tradition -- it's about supporting rural economies and the American families who depend on them," Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in the department's statement.
"By opening more areas to hunting and outdoor recreation, we're helping drive tourism, create jobs, and generate revenue for local communities, all while promoting responsible stewardship of our natural resources."
The proposal will see expanded hunting opportunities at National Wildlife Refuge System stations in Alabama, California, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.
Among the new opportunities is the first time sport fishing will be offered at the North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery in Massachusetts.
The department says it is making the changes to grow interest in outdoor activities, which collectively generated more than $394 billion worth of economic expenditures in the United States in 2022. Hunting and fishing specifically accounted for over $144 billion of that total, according to the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
Federal officials say they are working in harmony with their state-level counterparts to facilitate the new proposal. In Minnesota, the department is proposing an end to an experimental five-day early opening of the hunting season for the American teal, a common duck, at the request of the state and White Earth Nation.
"Hunting and fishing are traditional recreational activities deeply rooted in America's heritage. National wildlife refuges, national fish hatcheries and other Service lands offer hunting and fishing access that helps boost local economies and gives Americans an opportunity to unplug," Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Paul Souza said in the department's statement.
"We are pleased to expand access and offer new opportunities that are compatible with our conservation mission and are committed to responsibly managing these areas for the benefit of future generations."
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