A new order from the Trump Administration says federal lands should be open to hunting and fishing, unless there’s a legal exception for a closure.
The Interior Department’s secretarial order issued earlier this month directed land managers to find places with unnecessary barriers to hunting and fishing, expand access where possible, and increase coordination with states and tribes. It also said proposals that could reduce these recreation opportunities should be reviewed by higher-up officials.
The move was celebrated by organizations that support hunting and fishing, including the Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, where Madeleine West serves as vice president for western conservation in Denver.
“I see it as stepping back and acknowledging how important our country's public lands are to supporting hunting and fishing opportunities for so many Americans, and saying our public land should be available for this – except in the instances where there's a good and real justification for why they shouldn't happen,” she said.
She said it’s unclear exactly how many acres might be opened as a result.
“But it’s pretty safe to assume that there will be areas that become available for hunting and fishing that aren't currently, by just putting the onus on justifying why these actions shouldn't occur and where they're not consistent,” West said.
The directive applies to lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, only where tribes express interest.
But West noted that the order itself doesn’t change any laws or regulations about where hunting and fishing are allowed. For example, it doesn't apply to national parks where hunting is not currently permitted.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik told a U.S. House subcommittee this week how he will implement the policy.
“As director, I’m also going to be reviewing any decision or plan that could impact hunting or fishing access to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make public lands open for the American people,” Nesvik said.
He also announced a goal of making all federal wildlife refuges and hatcheries open to hunting and fishing within two years, except in “rare cases where conflicts with legal mandates, public safety or sensitive species or habitats exist.”
Separately, Nesvik launched a review last month of all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sites that may have been “established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the bureau.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Boise State Public Radio, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio and KJZZ in Arizona as well as NPR, with support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
