Final week for public to comment on Compatibility Determinations for commercial uses of the Upper Mississippi Wildlife & Fish Refuge

Four Compatibility Determinations (CDs) which evaluate various economic and/or commercial uses of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are available for public comment through April 9 of this year. The draft CDs re-evaluate the following uses of the Refuge:

• Commercial Fishing Floats
• Commercially Guided Wildlife/lands Observation
• Guided Sport Fishing
• Guided Waterfowl Hunting.

Compatibility Determinations regarding these uses were originally completed in 2006 as part of the Refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). The original CDs must be re-evaluated every 10 years. Draft CDs which re-evaluated these commercial uses were originally released for public comment in August 2016. Based on comments received during the review period in 2016, these four CDs have been revised and are thus being released for an additional 30-day period. The CCP, as well as the 2006 versions of these CDs, are available for public viewing at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/uppermiss/#cd. There are no changes proposed to the CCP.

In accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, prior to allowing a new or continuing public use or activity on the Refuge, the FWS must determine if the use is compatible with Refuge purposes. The draft compatibility determinations are available at the Refuge Headquarters located at 51 East Fourth Street in Winona, MN; on the refuge web page at www.fws.gov/refuge/upper_mississippi_river; or can be mailed or emailed by contacting 507-452-4232.

The public is encouraged to contact Deputy Refuge Manager Tim Yager in writing at 51 East Fourth Street, Winona, MN 55987 or via email at timothy_yager@fws.gov by 4 p.m. April 9 of this year in order to provide comments and concerns.

The purposes for establishing, acquiring and managing the Refuge are “(a) as a refuge and breeding place for migratory birds included in the terms of the convention between the United States and Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds, concluded August 16, 1916, (b) to such extent as the Secretary of the Interior by regulations, prescribe, as a refuge and breeding place for other wild birds, game animals, fur-bearing animals, and for the conservation of wild flowers and aquatic plants, and (c) to such extent as the Secretary of the Interior may, by regulations, prescribe a refuge and breeding place for fish and other aquatic animal life.”