U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) launched a comprehensive review of the National Wildlife Refuge and Fish Hatchery Systems.

As part of this review, USFWS will gather feedback from state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, non-government partners, and organizations that have a Memorandum of Understanding with USFWS.

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) members who have leases or Cooperative Agricultural Agreements on refuge lands are invited to fill out the form.

“This is an excellent opportunity for county Farm Bureau members to highlight impacts and challenges, or possibly opportunities, associated with these wildlife refuges,” Jay Bragg, TFB associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said. “Issues like the management of feral hogs, nilgia, and other invasive plant and animal species and impacts to adjacent properties could be discussed.”

The review will focus on:

  • Whether the missions of refuges and hatcheries still match the overall mission of USFWS,
  • Whether the current organizational structure helps or hinders meeting those missions,
  • Available funding and staffing levels,
  • Staff ability to work with local communities and state and tribal wildlife agencies
  • Whether policies and guidance are clear, consistent and transparent,
  • The condition of buildings and infrastructure, including maintenance needs, and
  • Ways to improve efficiency in management, oversight and decision-making.

National Wildlife Refuges in Texas:

  • Anahuac (now Jocelyn Nungaray) – Chambers County
  • Aransas National Wildlife Refuge – Aransas, Calhoun and Refugio counties
  • Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge – Colorado County
  • Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge – Burnet, Travis and Williamson counties
  • Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge – Matagorda County
  • Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge – Brazoria County
  • Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge – Randall County
  • Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge – Harrison County
  • Grulla National Wildlife Refuge – partially in Bailey County (remainder in New Mexico)
  • Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge – Grayson County
  • Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge – Cameron County
  • Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge – Hidalgo and Cameron County
  • McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge – Jefferson County
  • Moody National Wildlife Refuge – Chambers County
  • Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge – Bailey County
  • Neches River National Wildlife Refuge – Cherokee and Nacogdoches counties
  • San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge – Brazoria and Matagorda counties
  • Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge – Hidalgo County
  • Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge – Jefferson County
  • Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge – Liberty and Chambers counties

National Fish Hatcheries in Texas:

  • Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery – Burnet County
  • Uvalde National Fish Hatchery – Uvalde County

Comments can be left here.

Email etaylor@refugeassociation.org with any questions.