Several conservation meetings affecting hunters and fishermen will be held in the next few weeks.
The Conservation Advisory Board Meets in Tuscaloosa on May 19. The Alabama Conservation Advisory Board (CAB) will hold its second scheduled meeting of 2018 on Saturday, May 19, in Tuscaloosa. The meeting will be held at the Alabama Fire College Auditorium, 2501 Phoenix Dr., Tuscaloosa.
Registration for those wishing to address the board will be from 8-8:30 a.m. The meeting will begin promptly at 9 a.m. Attendees with printed information they wish to share with CAB members are encouraged to bring at least 16 copies of the material for distribution.
The CAB assists in formulating policies for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), examines all rules and regulations, and makes recommendations for their change or amendment. This includes hunting seasons and bag limits.
The board is comprised of 10 members appointed by the Governor for alternating terms of six years.
Currently the Board is chaired by Joseph Dobbs, Jr., of Birmingham. The members include: Greg Barksdale of Hanceville; Jessica Butler of Scottsboro; Patrick Cagle of Montgomery; Grady Hartzog of Eufaula; Brock Jones of Boligee; Raymond Jones, Jr., of Huntsville; Jeff Martin of Pell City; Ben C. Stimpson, Jr., of Mobile; and Gary Wolfe of Fairhope.
The three ex-officio CAB members include Gov. Kay Ivey (R), Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan (R), and Alabama Cooperative Extension System Director Dr. Gary Lemme. ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship serves as ex-officio secretary.
If Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations are needed, please contact Betsy Jones at 334-242-3486 or dcnr.commissioner@dcnr.alabama.gov. Requests should be made as soon as possible, but at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting.
The Forever Wild Board of Trustees will meets in McCalla on May 10 at the Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, 12632 Confederate Parkway. The meeting will take place in the park’s event center at 10 a.m.
At this meeting, updates on Forever Wild program activities and tract assessments will be presented. This meeting will also provide an opportunity for any individual who would like to make comments concerning the program to address the board.
The public is invited to attend this meeting and is encouraged to submit nominations of tracts of land for possible Forever Wild program purchase. Written nominations may be submitted by email to Forever.Wild@dcnr.alabama.gov or by letter to the State Lands Division, Room 464, 64 N. Union St., Montgomery, Ala., 36130. Nominations can also be made online at www.alabamaforeverwild.com/contact/nominate_land_tracts.
Quarterly meetings of the Forever Wild Board are held to maximize public input into the program. Only through active public participation can the best places in Alabama be identified and conserved in order to remain forever wild.
If Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations are needed, please contact Jo Lewis at 334-242-3051 or Jo.Lewis@dcnr.alabama.gov. Requests should be made as soon as possible, but at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division is hosting several public meetings in Baldwin and Mobile counties and a Facebook live session about the 2018 red snapper season.
The purpose of the meetings is to provide information about the dates of the red snapper fishing season and describe management measures that will be used to set and monitor the season as provided for in an Exempted Fishing Permit issued by NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Administrator. These meetings will be of interest to recreational anglers who fish from private vessels and captains of state-licensed charter boat vessels who plan to take recreational anglers on red snapper fishing trips in 2018.
The topics to be covered include: the specific dates for the season; the mandatory reporting requirement and use of reported data to monitor season harvests; and where state-licensed charter captains can fish for red snapper during chartered trips.
The meetings are open to the public and free of charge. T
The first meeting will be Monday, April 23 from 6 p.m.to 7 p.m. at the Gulf Shores Adult Activity Center, 260 Clubhouse Dr., in Gulf Shores.
The second meeting will be Tuesday, April 24 from 6 p.m. To 7 p.m. at the Tillman’s Corner Community Center, 5055 Carol Plantation Rd. in Mobile.
The third meeting will be Monday, April 30 from 6 p.m. To 7 p.m. at the 5 Rivers Tensaw Theatre, 30945 5 Rivers Blvd, in Spanish Fort.
The fourth meeting will be Tuesday, May 1 from 6 p.m.to 7 p.m. at the Saraland Civic Center, 716 Mae St. in Saraland.
For those who are unable to attend any of the meetings, a Facebook live session will be held on Tuesday, May 8 from 6 p.m. To 7 p.m. on the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources-Marine Resources Division’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AlabamaMarineResourcesDivision). After a short presentation, Marine Resources staff will answer questions submitted by viewers.
If Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations are needed for the red snapper meetings, please contact Karen Bryant at 251-968-9691 or karen.bryant@dcnr.alabama.gov. Requests should be made as soon as possible, but at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
Hunting and fishing are major industries in Alabama with a substantial economic impact. To hunt in Alabama you must have a valid hunting license. For freshwater fishing you must have a freshwater fishing license. To fish in saltwater you must have a valid saltwater fishing license. To hunt waterfowl you must have a valid hunting license as well as federal and state waterfowl stamps.
