Enjoy National Fishing and Boating Week June 5 to 13, 2004 Remember the first time someone showed you how to cast a fishing line or remember all those ĂÆĂâĂâ ĂąâŹâąĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂÂĄĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂŹĂÆĂâĂ¹ùâÂŹĂÂčĂÆĂąâŹÂŠĂ¹ùâÂŹĂ
âbig fishĂÆĂâĂâ ĂąâŹâąĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂÂĄĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂŹĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂŸĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂą tales you heard? Now you can recreate those memories for yourself or someone else during National Fishing and Boating Week, June 5 to 13, 2004. “Fishing is fun, relaxing, and can create lasting family bonds and friendships,” said Sam D. Hamilton,
According to the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, sponsored by the Service, there are 8 million anglers in the Southeast who spend more than $9 billion a year on fishing trip-related expenses and $4 billion a year on equipment.
In addition to the many state, federal, and community-sponsored events during National Fishing and Boating Week, many Southeastern states are offering free fishing days when people can fish without a license. On June 5 and 6, South Carolina waives its resident license requirement for both fresh and saltwater fishing. On June 5, 6, 12, and 13, Mississippi does not require a permit to fish on state fishing lakes and state park lakes; however, a state fishing license is required. Louisiana and KentuckyĂÆĂâĂâ ĂąâŹâąĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂÂĄĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂŹĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂŸĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąs free fishing days are June 5 and 6. Georgia waives its license requirements for fresh and saltwater fishing for June 5 and June 12. Also on June 12, Alabama waives resident license requirements for fresh and saltwater fishing. From noon on June 11, until midnight on June 13, Arkansas waives its license requirements for freshwater fishing. For more information on free fishing days and state fishing regulations, please visit the website: http://www.waterworkswonders.org/default.aspx?id=210
Throughout the Southeast, the ServiceĂÆĂâĂâ ĂąâŹâąĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂÂĄĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂŹĂÆĂâĂâĂÂąĂÆĂÂąĂ¹ùâŹĆĄĂÂŹĂâŠĂŸĂÆĂąâŹĆĄĂâĂÂąs National Fish Hatcheries and National Wildlife Refuges will be offering special fishing opportunities during National Fishing and Boating Week. A list of some activities follows:
ARKANSAS:
Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in Augusta, Arkansas (telephone 870/347-2614): Kids Fishing on June 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.;
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in Crossett, Arkansas (telephone 870/364-3167): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 7 to noon;
Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery in Heber Springs, Arkansas (telephone: 501/362-3615) and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: Kids Fishing Rodeo at JFK Park on June 12, from 8 a.m. until noon;
Norfolk National Fish Hatchery in Mountain Home, Arkansas (telephone: 870/499-5255): Kids Fishing on June 12, beginning at 9 a.m.;
White River National Wildlife Refuge in St. Charles, Arkansas (telephone: 870/282-8200): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.;
FLORIDA:
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel, Florida (telephone: 239/472-1100): Kids Fishing and Clinic on June 5 and 6, at Tarpon Bay from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.;
GEORGIA:
Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery in Suches, Georgia (telephone: 706/838-4723): Seniors Fishing Rodeo on June 11, from at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
Warm Springs Regional Fish Center in Warm Springs, Georgia (telephone: 706/655-3382): Kids Fishing on June 5, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.;
KENTUCKY:
Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery in Jamestown, Kentucky (telephone 270/343-2874): Kids Fishing on June 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.;
LOUISIANA:
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge in Slidell, Louisiana (telephone 985-882-2000): Kids Fishing on June 5, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m;
Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery in Natchitoches, Louisiana (telephone: 318/352-5324): Open House and Fishing Derby on June 5, from 8 a.m. until noon;
MISSISSIPPI:
Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery in Tupelo, Mississippi (telephone: 662/842-1341): Kids Fishing on June 5, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.;
NORTH CAROLINA:
Edenton National Fish Hatchery in Edenton, North Carolina (telephone: 252-482-4118): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 9 a.m. until noon;
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery in Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina (telephone: 843/539-2315): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 8 a.m. until noon;
Orangeburg National Fish Hatchery in Orangeburg, South Carolina (telephone: 803/534-4917): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
TENNESSEE:
Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery in Celina, Tennessee (telephone:931/243-2443): Kids Fishing on June 12, from 8 a.m. until noon;
Erwin National Fish Hatchery in Erwin, Tennessee (telephone: 423/743-4712): Kids Fishing on June 5,in Cherokee National Forest, beginning at 9 a.m.;
For more information about National Fishing and Boating Week events in your area. Please visit the websites http://www.waterworkswonders.org/default.aspx?id=213 or http://www.recreation.gov/
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies