Get Your Thoughts in Order

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From the Baxter Bulletin paper

AGFC seeks input on fisheries

JOANNE BRATTON

Bulletin Staff Writer

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is asking for public input on management plans for trout fisheries at Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters.

The public is invited to attend a Mountain Home Trout Summit May 14-15 to help establish management goals and develop comprehensive plans for the fisheries. At the meetings, participants can share comments about issues in the tailwaters and what advice they have for fisheries managers for addressing those issues.

"There has never been a formal document to guide the management of all the trout fisheries," said Jeff Williams, AGFC trout management biologist. "The public involvement workshops and meetings are asking the public on the front end to help us establish management goals."

Anyone interested can participate in the meetings, including individuals, resort owners, fishing guides and communities. The comprehensive plan will include people's thoughts on number of fish, fish size, habitat and stocking practices, Williams said.

The idea to develop a formalized plan began in 2004, and since then, plans for the Beaver tailwater and the Little Red River have been developed, Williams said.

Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters are next on the management plan list, he said.

"The responsibilities have grown," said Leon Alexander, a local fisherman who participated in a recent focus group about fishery issues in advance of the May meetings. "There are new issues we have now that we didn't have a few years ago."

Another opportunity for initial public input will be on May 17 in Mountain View. Specific times and locations of the meetings will be announced at a later date.

The AGFC will draft a set of management options based on input from the meetings, e-mails and surveys from nonresident anglers. The draft will be available for public review Oct. 29, according to the AGFC.

Input from the October meeting will be used to draft a management plan, which will be available for public review on Dec. 3, and a second public review will be conducted on Jan. 7. A final draft management plan will be available for public review next March, according to the AGFC.

The meetings and workshops will be facilitated by Spencer Amend of Dynamic Solutions Group. Those interested in updates on the plan's progress can visit the AGFC Web site at www.AGFC.com/trout.

"It's exciting," Alexander said. "It will only work if everyone participates."

Dates for public input on fisheries:

May 14 and 15: Mountain Home Trout Summit

May 17: Meeting in Mountain View

Sept. 7: Draft documents available for public review

Oct. 29: Public review workshop for documents

Dec. 3: Draft management plan available to public

Jan. 7: Public review workshop on draft management plan

Note: The AGFC will announce meeting times at a later date.

jobratton@baxterbulletin.com