AR-News: (US) Oklahoma Weekly Hunting News

[JanaWilson at aol.com]

A/w local OKC weekend hunting news:

Three months ago an individual retired from the US Fish and Wildlife
Service after 38 years of service and he isn't keeping quiet on the
lack of funding for  the country's federal fisheries which seem to be
in serious trouble.  The nation's 70 federal fisheries, including the
Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Reagan, has been severely
underfunded for a decade.
  The result has been significant cuts in fish production, population
surveys, facility maintenance and staff, he said.  And half the fisheries
positions in the SW region, including at Tishomingo, are currently vacant
due to lack of funds.
  Now, the Tishomingo hatchery and others will have to stop working
to restore imperiled and threatened fish and focus on species that can
earn money. This hatchery cannot complete commercially but can
sell fish to other federal agencies.  The Tishomingo hatchery raises
catfish that it provides to the military base at Fort Sill, Okla.
  However, the hatchery also raises fish that nobody buys, such as
the paddlefish, considered a species of concern by US Fish and Wildlife.
  These conservation efforts by the hatchery, and others like it, could
soon end because of lack of funding.
  Hatcheries in the SW region work with endangered, threatened and
imperiled species of aquatics in an attempt to restore healthy populations.
These programs will be discontinued under the new mandate.
  At Tishomingo, thousands of paddlefish are spawned, hatched and 
raised at the hatchery as part of the recovery program.  These fish
are tagged and released into native waters thruout Okla., Kansas,
and Texas.
  The hatchery is also trying to restore to Okla. waters the leopard darter
and Arkansas river shiner, both considered threatened species as well
as the alligator snapping turtles.
  Currently the SW region is operating with a nearly $1 million deficit and
over the years the hatcheries have received no money for their conservation
programs.  The agency can no longer afford them without proper financial
compensation.
  The agency chose to discontinue those programs as opposed to closing
hatcheries or laying off employees.

                                                                For the 
Animals,

                                                                Jana, OKC
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