Spring/Summer 2001

Conservation News

Second Scenic River Named - The Tangipahoa River in Pike County from Highway 51 south to the Louisiana line has been designated a scenic river. Governor Ronnie Musgrove recently signed Senate Bill 2442 into law making the Tangipahoa River Mississippi's second scenic river. Last year, the Wolf River from Mississippi Highway 26 to Bay Saint Louis was designated a scenic river. "Now that the Tangipahoa has been designated a scenic river, we'll get with local landowners and begin drafting a stewardship plan," Scenic Streams Stewardship Coordinator Andrew Whiteburst said. A stewardship plan consists of voluntary agreements by streamside landowners to use Best Management Practices when they harvest timber or clear trees along the river. Whitehurst went on to say that streamside landowners can make a difference in conserving rivers by leaving buffer zones which protect water-quality, stabilize stream banks and ensure healthy fish habitat.

LAWMAKERS AGREE TO LICENSE TERMS - Mississippi and Louisiana lawmakers have agreed to more equitable fishing and hunting license fees. During a recent meeting at the state capitol in Jackson, lawmakers and conservation officials from both states agreed on the prices for non-resident fishing and hunting licenses that take effect July 1, 2001. Louisiana lawmakers agreed that Louisiana will lower its annual non-resident saltwater fishing license from $110 to $90 and will lower its three-day non-residet saltwater fishing license from $70 to $55. Also, it will establish a $20 one-day non-resident saltwater fishing license. In addition, Louisiana will create an annual $1,000 vessel license for Mississippi charter boats fishing the Chandelur Islands. The license is good for charter boats carrying up to six skiffs. A $2,000 license is available for charters with more than six skiffs. A $30 trip fishing license will be available to each person fishing from a vessel's skiffs. Each charter boat may not have more than eight skiffs at an annual fee of $50 per skiff. At a monthly meeting in Columbia, Mississippi, the five-member Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks voted to reduce the annual all-game hunting license for Louisiana residents from $425 to $300. Action by the Mississippi Commission takes effect July 1, 2001. Officials say the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has the authority to adjust non-resident licenses at any time. They say it's up to Louisiana lawmakers to finalize their part of the agreement. "We appreciate the efforts of Senator Craig Romero and his colleagues who have helped establish more reasonable license fees for Mississippi anglers fishing Louisiana waters," said Senator Lynn Posey of Union Church, chairman of the Senate Wildlife and Fisheries in Mississippi. Romero is chairman of the Louisiana Senate's Natural Resources Committee. "We now have an open line of communication between our states which I hope will continue," Posey said.

SERVICE ASKS WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL SURVEY - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests the assistance of fish and wildlife enthusiasts in the Congressionally-approved 10th National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The survey is undertaken every five years and is paid for with funds from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) and Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux) programs. It provides the only comprehensive statistical data available related to participation and expenditures on hunting, fishing and other wildlife-related recreation. The survey is considered a critical resource for Federal and state wildlife agencies, journalists, outdoor and tourist industries, local governments, conservation groups and others with an interest in fish, wildlife and outdoor recreation. Information for the survey is collected by the Census Bureau, primarily through telephone interviews that will be conducted in April and September 2001 and January 2002. Individuals will be asked about their participation and expenditures in several categories of wildlife-associated recreation. Results are published in a national report and in 50 individual state reports. The survey has been conducted every five years since 1955. In conducting the survey, the Census Bureau initially contacts 80,000 households. A sampling of individuals is compiled from the first round of calls, and those in the sampling are called again, later in the year. In 1996, the sampling included 28,200 anglers and hunters and 14,400 wildlife observers, feeders and photographers. The 1996 survey revealed that 77 million Americans enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation and spent more than $100 billion pursuing their activities. Preliminary survey reports will be available in the summer of 2002 and final reports will be issued beginning in the fall of 2002. Regular updates will be posted on the Service's home page at http://fa.r9.fws.gov/surveys/html.

LEOPOLD Is NEW Wildlife HEAD - Dr. Bruce D. Leopold has been selected to head the Wildlife and Fisheries Department at Mississippi State University. He has been interim head since the retirement of Dr. Randall Robinette last year. A native of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, Leopold received his doctorate in wildlife ecology from the University of Arizona. He has been on the faculty at MSU since 1987.

ST. CATHERINE'S GETS MORE LAND - St. Catherine's Creek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will become 502 acres larger, thanks to recent action by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission in Washington. Senator Thad Cochran is a member of that Commission. Located in Adams County about 15 miles south of Natchez, St. Catherine's Creek NWR will lease these bottomland hardwood forest and wetlands for migrating waterfowl. Experts say that acquiring the lease will protect a significant wetland area along the Mississippi Flyway.

DODGE TRUCK WINNER NAMED - Jimmy and Shirley Myrick of Poplarville won the latest Dodge Truck promotion of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Myrick, who is retired from the Pearl River County library system, entered the contest only one time at the Fall Foliage Camporee at Roosevelt State Park. "I've never had a new truck before," Myrick said. "I just can't believe this is mine."

WILL GIS GET VIOLATORS? - Mississippi has become the first state to use geographic information systems (GIS) in examining the locations of wildlife violations. Researchers say the GIS system may help determine violation "hot spots" within a given area. In a two-year study, Mississippi State University's Forest and Wildlife Research Center is examining 30,000 wildlife citations issued since July 1996. When analyzed, the information may give conservation officers a better understanding of violator habits, where violations occurred, times and other information useful to officers and supervisors.

PICKERING INTRODUCES WETLANDS LEGISLATION - On Wednesday, April 4, 2001, Congressman Chip Pickering introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives titled the "Wetlands Reserve Program Enhancement Act of 2001" (H.R. 1506) to extend authority for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) authorized under the Farm Bill of 1996. Since its inception in 1996, the Wetlands Reserve Program has restored over one million acres of former wetlands to the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife species while providing financial relief to struggling farm families. The legislation introduced by Congressman Pickering authorizes up to 250,000 acres of marginal farm land to be enrolled in the WRP through 2005. In Mississippi, WRP has proven to be extremely popular with landowners. With commodity prices being as low as they are now, the program is a great benefit to Mississippi farmers who could not otherwise afford to stay on their land or pass it on to future generations. Congressman Pickering stated, "The WRP is just the kind of non-regulatory, voluntary approach to conservation that works best for wildlife habitat restoration. The program has been so successful that for every five farmers that wish to enroll in the WRP, only one is accepted. This clearly shows how popular the program is with farmers and wildlife enthusiasts. As the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I recognize another positive benefit of the Wetlands Reserve Program. Like many states, Mississippi honors a proud waterfowling tradition. Each day, the WRP helps improve waterfowl populations and restore wetlands habitat to create new opportunities for sportsmen and women to participate in the time-honored tradition of duck hunting. As the father of five young boys, I am blessed with the opportunity to pass the family tradition of waterfowling down to them. When I was growing up, duck hunting with my father taught me a deep respect for the outdoors and helped me to develop an appreciation for nature and wildlife and programs like the WRP help make it possible to keep that tradition alive," Pickering said.