News Release - AGFC / White River

[damselfly]

this may be old news to some, but i just got it from a friend and thought i'd post it for all who may have an interest.

NEWS RELEASE

Immediate Release For more information, contact:

Jeff Williams

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

201 East 5th Street

Mountain Home, AR 72653

(870) 424-5924

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Needs Your Help

Do you like to fish for trout on Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters? Would you like to have a say in how the trout fisheries in Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters are managed? If so, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) could use your help.

This spring AGFC will be seeking public input to aid in the development of management plans for the trout fisheries on Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters. Through a series of facilitated public meetings, anglers and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to help establish management goals for these fisheries. This is part of a new process that the AGFC Trout Management Program is using in which the public plays an integral role in determining the future of trout fishing in Arkansas. If you would like to take part, you are invited to attend the Mountain Home Trout Summit in May. This will be the first of several opportunities for you to get involved.

The Mountain Home Trout Summit will be held on the evenings of May 14th and 15th in Mountain Home. Anyone interested in these fisheries is encouraged to attend both nights of the event. During the summit, participants will be asked what issues they want AGFC to focus on in regards to Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters and what advice they have for fisheries managers in addressing those issues. Two days later on May 17th there will be another public meeting, this time in Mountain View. This meeting will provide individuals from that area with the same opportunity to provide comments and suggestions as those that attend the Mountain Home meeting without having to travel so far.

Following the Mountain Home and Mountain View meetings, AGFC personnel will draft a set of management options based on public input from the meetings. Comments sent in to the AGFC website as well as those obtained from a survey of non-resident anglers will also be used in developing management options, which will be available in early September.

On October 29th, there will be a public review workshop where participants will be asked to provide comments on the management options developed by AGFC for Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters. AGFC fisheries personnel will then take this input and use it to shape a draft management plan, which will be available in early December. Finally, the public will be given another opportunity to provide input on the draft management plan during a second public review workshop on January 7th, 2008. A final draft of the management plan is anticipated by mid-March 2008.

The public is invited to attend all public meetings and workshops, which will be facilitated by Spencer Amend of Dynamic Solutions Group. Specific times and locations will be made available prior to the meetings. Throughout this process, you will be able to track progress and find information on the AGFC website at www.AGFC.com/trout. If you enjoy or are concerned about the Bull Shoals and Norfork trout fisheries, AGFC trout managers invite you to participate and help build comprehensive plans that will make these fisheries the best they can be.

Important Dates at a Glance

May 14th & 15th – Mountain Home Trout Summit

May 17th – Mountain View Public Meeting

September 7th – Draft options document available to the public

October 29th – First public review workshop – opportunity for public to provide comments on management options

December 3rd – Draft management plan available to the public

January 7, 2008 – Second public review workshop - opportunity for public to provide comments on management options