U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
A Sport Hunting Plan, outline Environmental Assessment, and Compatibility Determination for Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Terrebonne Parish is accessible for public review on March 2, 2007. The review period will extend until April 2, 2007.
The project describes 4 alternatives for hunting on the refuge: (1) the no action alternative would not allow hunting, (2) the suggested action regulations would open the refuge to hunting, but would administratively limit it to those areas specified in the refuge-specific regulations as described in the 2007 Sport Hunting Plan, (3) the close specific areas to harvest alternative would provide variable hunting opportunities during the hunting seasons, and (4) the open entire refuge to harvest alternative would provide hunting opportunities throughout the hunting seasons.. Although hunting has been ongoing on Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, in response to a 2003 lawsuit filed by the Fund for Animals, the U.S.F.W.S. (Service) developed environmental assessments that describe hunting programs at twenty-three National wildlife refuges located in the Southeast Region to address cumulative impacts of hunting. Under the suggested action, hunting of deer, hogs, and migratory birds such as waterfowl, coots, gallinule, and rails would occur. Hunting would be carried out in accordance with Federal and State of Louisiana regulations, and refuge-specific regulations.
Copies of the project can be reviewed on the refuge web location at:http://www.fws.gov/mandalay and at the following library:
Terrebonne Parish Library:
151 Civic Center Boulevard,
Houma, Louisiana
Written comments or questions can be directed to Paul Yakupzack, Refuge Manager, at 3599 Bayou Black Drive, Houma, Louisiana 70360; (985) 853-1078. Email comments can be provided to the following address: barret_fortier@fws.gov.
The Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge is currently over 4,200 acres of fresh marsh and associated ridges and is located in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The refuge lies just southwest of Houma, Louisiana to the north and south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The U.S.F.W.S. 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 94 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses in excess of 542 National wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 Countrywide fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 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 Aid plan that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
