DNR To Hold Public Meeting On Waterfowl Regulations

Annapolis, Md. (July 20, 2010) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public meeting to discuss the proposed late season waterfowl hunting regulations at 7 p.m. on August 16 at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Md. The proposed seasons and bag limits will be announced in early August after DNR receives the late season framework from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Public input is an important step in the seasons and bag limits selection process,” said Bill Harvey, DNR’s Game Bird Section Leader.

Hunting regulations (seasons, bag limits, etc.) for migratory game birds are established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via the Service Regulation Committee (SRC), with the final rule made by the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The SRC conducts three meetings each year to discuss migratory game bird management regulatory issues. The final meeting is being held to develop regulations for late seasons (regular duck and goose seasons).

Citizens who are unable to attend the meeting may comment by email, letter, fax, phone and an online forum available on the DNR website after the proposals are announced. The details on providing public comment will be included in the early August announcement.

Finalized seasons and bag limits will be announced in early September. For more information about the 2010-2011 Maryland Late Waterfowl Season regulations submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/lwfchart.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov