The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board will hold online public hearings tonight and tomorrow night to get public input on proposed changes to make it easier for people to go fishing by simplifying its fishing regulations. 

Fishing regulations have become increasingly complex over time as amendments were added, making the rules more difficult for anglers to understand and challenging for the Fish and Wildlife Department to administer and enforce. 

“We want to make fishing rules easier to understand while continuing to protect Vermont’s abundant fisheries resources,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter.  “Our fisheries biologists and wardens have proposed changes to our primary fishing regulation that will simplify and standardize the rules, rather than having them be slightly different, depending on what lake or stream section you are on.”

For information the proposed changes and to join the online hearings, go to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website www.vtfishandwildlife.com and click on the “Public Hearings Schedule” on the home page.

In addition to the public hearings, anyone can leave a comment on the proposals with a telephone message by calling 802-265-0043 or by emailing ANR.FWPublicComment@vermont.gov. 

The deadline for public comment is April 7.

For Immediate Release:  March 29, 2021

Media Contacts:  Louis Porter 802-828-1454 Louis.Porter@vermont.gov

Eric Palmer 802-535-7635 Eric.Palmer@vermont.gov  Bernie Pientka 802-922-6025