WASHINGTON, D.C. – April. 8, 2020 – Today, U.S. Department of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt announced a new proposed rule to expand hunting and fishing opportunities to Americans by opening 2.3 million acres to public access. This would represent the largest expansion of land to hunting and fishing in the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
“As millions of people around the country feel trapped in their own homes due to the COVID-19 virus, having the opportunity to hunt and fish in the quiet of the wilderness or the tranquility of a lake is perhaps more important now than its ever been,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “It’s vital to follow local directives regarding recreation, but there’s never been a better time to enjoy the solitude of our public lands and distance yourself from the crowds. This increased access will be important for our overall health and wellness both now and in the future.”
The proposed rule would open 2.3 million acres of land for hunting, fishing and other recreation activities on 97 national wildlife refuges and nine fish hatcheries. For more information from the Department of the Interior, click here.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to Follow DU’s newest Twitter feed – @DUNews1937 – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14.5 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.
