Monday, April 20, 2009

2009 Annual Spring Fish & Wildlife Rule Hearing Results

MADISON – Nearly 8,000 people attended the 2009 Spring Fisheries and Wildlife Rules Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings that were held in every county statewide on Monday, April 13. The hearings allowed 7,939 citizens to comment and provide their input on proposed fish and wildlife rule changes, Conservation Congress and Natural Resources Board advisory questions, and to submit resolutions for rule changes they would like to see in the future.

Statewide hearing results and the questions are available on the Spring Rules Hearings page of the DNR Web site. The results will be presented to the state Natural Resources Board in May.

Hearing results, along with written comments on proposed rules, and DNR recommendations are used to advise the state Natural Resources Board. This year’s results will be reviewed at the board’s May 27 meeting in Baraboo. Votes are non-binding and are presented to the Natural Resources Board to reflect public sentiment on proposed DNR rule changes.

DNR fish and wildlife managers will spend the next several weeks analyzing the vote tallies and developing recommendations they will present to the board in May.

The hearings are held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings. DNR related proposals are presented to attendees by DNR staff. Following DNR business, the meeting is reconvened as a Conservation Congress meeting and congress advisory questions are presented and county congress delegates elected. The congress is an advisory body to the Natural Resources Board. During the congress’ portion of the hearing, citizens may introduce resolutions for consideration and vote by those attending the hearings.

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