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| Formed | 1912 |
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| Website | www |
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) is a state-level government department within the New Mexico Governor's Cabinet that is responsible for maintaining wildlife and fish in the state. The NMDGF undertakes protection, conservation and propagation, and regulates the use of game and fish to ensure there is an adequate supply for recreation and food. [1]
The New Mexico Territorial Legislature created what a predecessor to the game department in 1903. Upon New Mexico statehood 1912, the newly-formed New Mexico Legislature formally created the Department of Game and Fish, and in 1921, the Legislature created a three-member commission to manage the department. [2]
A seven-member body appointed by the governor, the State Game Commission authorizes regulations and the department implements and enforces them. [3] Not more than four members can be from the same political party. Five of the members represent different geographical areas of the state. The other two members are appointed “at large.” At least one member of the commission shall represent agricultural interests and one member represent conservation interests. [4] The commission hires the director of the Department of Game and Fish and also has the power to fire the director. [5] The NMDGF applies regulations on all land in New Mexico, whether federal, state or privately-owned, other than Indian land. On many Pueblo lands and reservations, Game and Fish staff work with the people responsible for wildlife management. [3]
Fishing and hunting license fees and taxes on fishing and hunting goods such as rod, reels and rifles provide a large part of the department's funding, although major capital programs may be funded by the legislature. [5] Starting in 1991, Game and Fish started to implement the Sikes Act, under which anglers who use public land that is managed by the United States Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management must buy a Habitat Improvement Validation. Funds from this sources are used, as the name implies, to fund habitat improvements. [6]
In 2011, a bill was being considered for eliminating the State Game Commission and merging the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish into the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. [7]
At the suggestion of big-game hunter Frank C. Hibben, between 1969 and 1977 the Department of Game and Fish introduced 93 captive bred Oryx into the White Sands Missile Range, intending them to be hunted for sport. It was assumed that they would remain in the Tularosa Basin and that mountain lions would control their numbers. These assumptions were incorrect. The oryx found the environment ideal and rapidly increased in numbers, as of 2012 reaching between 3,000 and 6,000 animals, and spread into the White Sands National Monument and private lands where public hunting is not allowed. [8] Despite several hundred being taken every year, numbers continue to expand. [8] As of 2001, oryx had been spotted as far apart as sixty miles south of Albuquerque, and West Texas. The department has undertaken an expensive program to fence the White Sands National Monument and then remove all the oryx from the park. [9]
In 1977, Game and Fish began arresting non-Indian hunters for illegal possession of game that was taken from the Mescalero reservation in accordance with tribal laws, since this was not in compliance with state law. The tribe filed suit, and the case went to the Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously in favor of the Mescaleros. Reasons included the argument that giving Game and Fish authority would "nullify the Tribe's unquestioned authority to regulate the use of its resources by members and nonmembers". [10]
In 1955 the Department of Game and Fish created Clayton Lake in Clayton Lake State Park as a fishing lake and winter waterfowl resting area. The department assists in managing Fenton Lake State Park and Eagle Nest Lake State Park.[ citation needed ] The Carson National Forest is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture - Forestry Service. The Department of Game and Fish Department works with the forest personnel to maintain the wildlife habitat and to stock the many lakes and the four hundred miles of mountain streams with native trout. [11]
As of 1989, the Fish Management Division operated six hatcheries: Glenwood Hatchery, Lisboa Springs Hatchery, Parkview Hatchery, Red River Hatchery, Seven Springs Hatchery and Rock Lake Hatchery. The last hatches walleye while the others hatch trout or kokanee. [12] The discovery of whirling disease, Myxobolus cerebralis , in the early 1990s had a devastating effect, since some fish from five of the six hatcheries tested positive, and Game and Fish decided they should not stock any fish from hatcheries with known diseases. The hatcheries will have to be rebuilt. [13]
The Department of Game and Fish operates the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex, a group of four conservation area in New Mexico devoted to assisting birdlife in the region with Waterfowl Management Areas at La Joya, Bernardo, Casa Colorada, and Belen. [14]
Game and Fish has developed the Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M) in collaboration with other agencies, which holds information on all vertebrate and many invertebrate species of wildlife found in New Mexico and Arizona, including all threatened, endangered and sensitive species. [15]
The rainbow trout is a trout and species of salmonid native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coastal rainbow trout(O. m. irideus) or Columbia River redband trout (O. m. gairdneri) that usually returns to fresh water to spawn after living two to three years in the ocean. Freshwater forms that have been introduced into the Great Lakes and migrate into tributaries to spawn are also called steelhead.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission--which oversees the department's commissioner and promulgates regulations governing fishing, hunting and boating--is a nine-member bipartisan board appointed by the governor from a list of candidates nominated by active hunters and anglers in each of nine geographic districts in the state.
Pymatuning State Park is a Pennsylvania state park covering 21,122 acres (8,548 ha) in Conneaut, North Shenango, Pine, Sadsbury, South Shenango, West Fallowfield and West Shenango Townships, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Pymatuning State Park is the largest state park in Pennsylvania and contains the 17,088 acres (6,915 ha) of Pymatuning Lake, three-quarters of which is in Pennsylvania and one-quarter of which is in Ohio. A three-mile (5 km) causeway extends between Pennsylvania and Ohio near the center of the lake. The lake provides fishing and boating year round. There are two natural areas, Clark Island and Blackjack in the park. The park is also home to the University of Pittsburgh's Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. Like all Pennsylvania state parks, admission to the Pymatuning State Park is free. The northern access for Pymatuning State Park can be reached from U.S. Route 6 and the southern access is reached from U.S. Route 322.
Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km²) reservoir located on the border of the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately 25 miles (40 km) in length with over 90 miles (140 km) of shoreline and a maximum water depth of 45 feet (14 m). The lake is impounded by Gavins Point Dam and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District.
Moccasin Creek State Park is a 32-acre (13 ha) state park located on the western shore of Lake Burton in Rabun County in the northeast corner of Georgia. The park features campgrounds; a fishing pier for the physically disabled, the elderly, and children; and walking trails. Even though the surrounding area is mountainous, the camping area is relatively flat.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission. Currently the Director is Daniel Eichinger. The DNR has about 1,400 permanent employees, and over 1,600 seasonal employees.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas. Its mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
The Alaska salmon fishery is a managed fishery that supports the annual harvest of five species of wild Pacific Salmon for commercial fishing, sport fishing, subsistence by Alaska Native communities, and personal use by local residents. The salmon harvest in Alaska is the largest in North America and represents about 80% of the total wild-caught catch, with harvests from Canada and the Pacific Northwest representing the remainder In 2017 over 200 million salmon were caught in Alaskan waters by commercial fishers, representing $750 million in exvessel value. Salmon fishing is a nearly ubiquitous activity across Alaska, however the most valuable salmon fisheries are in the Bristol Bay, Prince William Sound and Southeast regions.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state's natural resources through five divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or ocean to supplement existing populations or to create a population where none exists. Stocking may be done for the benefit of commercial, recreational, or tribal fishing, but may also be done to restore or increase a population of threatened or endangered fish in a body of water closed to fishing.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of West Virginia. While formerly known as the cabinet-level Department of Natural Resources, it is now part of the West Virginia Department of Commerce. The WVDNR is responsible for wildlife management, hunting and fishing regulations, and boater safety and also oversees state parks and resorts. It also operates the West Virginia State Wildlife Center, a zoo in French Creek that exhibits West Virginian wildlife.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is a department within the government of Alaska. ADF&G's mission is to protect, maintain, and improve the fish, game, and aquatic plant resources of the state, and manage their use and development in the best interest of the economy and the well-being of the people of the state, consistent with the sustained yield principle. ADF&G manages approximately 750 active fisheries, 26 game management units, and 32 special areas. From resource policy to public education, the department considers public involvement essential to its mission and goals. The department is committed to working with tribes in Alaska and with a diverse group of State and Federal agencies. The department works cooperatively with various universities and nongovernmental organizations in formal and informal partnership arrangements, and assists local research or baseline environmental monitoring through citizen science programs.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Conservation Commission were created by Article IV Sections 40-42 of the Missouri Constitution, which were adopted by the voters of the state in 1936 as Amendment 4 to the constitution. The Commission is vested with control, management, restoration, conservation, and regulation of fish, forest, and wildlife resources of the state. The Department of Conservation owns and oversees hatcheries, sanctuaries, refuges, and reservations, and enforces the state wildlife code. The Commission consists of four individuals appointed by the Governor of Missouri to serve unpaid 6-year terms. No more than two of the individuals may be from the same political party.
The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southern San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico, USA. The refuge, which lies within the northernmost extension of the Chihuahuan Desert, has elevations ranging from 4,200 feet (1,300 m) to 8,239 feet (2,511 m) feet. Refuge habitats vary from creosote and Chihuahuan desert grasslands in the bajadas to pinyon-juniper woodlands at higher elevations. A few springs, seeps, and seasonal streams provide water for wildlife and riparian habitats in the refuge.
New Mexico v. Mescalero Apache Tribe, 462 U.S. 324 (1983), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the application of New Mexico's laws to on-reservation hunting and fishing by nonmembers of the Tribe is preempted by the operation of federal law.
The Colorado state wildlife areas are managed for hunting, fishing, observation, management, and preservation of wildlife. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife division of the U.S. State of Colorado manages more than 300 state wildlife areas with a total area of more than 860 square miles (2,230 km2) in the state.
The Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex is a group of four conservation area in New Mexico devoted to assisting birdlife in the region.
Carlos Avery (1868–1930), was an American newspaper publisher and politician in the state of Minnesota. Avery is best remembered as a long time chief of the Minnesota Game and Fish Commission and was named the first Commissioner of the Game and Fish Commission when that position was created in August 1915. He is the namesake of the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area in that state.
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) is the U.S. State of South Dakota's State Agency charged with the management of the state's public recreational and outdoor resources. The GFP manages the 13 State Parks and 43 State Recreation Areas within the South Dakota State Parks System, totaling over 96,000 acres of public lands. The agency manages the hunting of game and the state's fisheries, manages several wildlife management areas and game production areas to restore or establish habitat for a variety of species. The agency conducts public outdoor education programs, typically focusing on hunting and boating safety. The department issues hunting and fishing licenses along with issuance of boat registrations. The agency is also charged with enforcement of fish and game laws, including invasive species regulations. The agency is headquartered in Pierre, South Dakota.
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