NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its first 2022 meeting Jan. 20-21 at the Lannom Center in Dyersburg. Thursday, the 20^th meeting begins at 1 p.m. Friday, the 21^st, begins at 9 a.m.

There will be a preview of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s recommendations for the 2022-23 migratory game bird hunting seasons. Recommendations are for the statewide season dates and bag limits to fall within federal frameworks. There have been no changes to the federal frameworks. Dr. Brad Cohen from Tennessee Tech University will be a guest presenter at the meeting. He will provide an update on a waterfowl study tracking the movement of ducks and how hunting pressure and other variable impact waterfowl.

David Blackwood from the West Tennessee River Basin Authority will address the commission about White Oak WMA restoration. White Oak WMA consists of bottomland hardwood forests, permanently flooded wetlands, upland hardwood, and mixed pine forests. 

An update on the Bill Dance Signature Lakes will be presented. The Bill Dance Signature Lakes project was unveiled at the final TFWC meeting of 2021. TWRA and the State of Tennessee will invest $15 million in improvements both above and below the water at 18 lakes which bear fishing legend Dance’s stamp of approval.

TFWC Chairman Jim Ripley appointed a committee to present recommendations for the 2022-23 TFWC officers. Election of the officers will take place at the February TFWC meeting in Nashville.

Nominees for the Legacy Award will be presented on Friday. At next month’s meeting, the Legacy Award winner for 2021-22 will be announced.

---TWRA---