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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release: August 29, 2002
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM HOLDING HEARING ON WATERFOWL SEASON AND FALCONRY REGULATIONS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management will hold a public hearing on proposed regulations governing the upcoming migratory waterfowl hunting season and regulations governing the practice of falconry on Wednesday, September 4. The hearing on both subjects will be held at 7 p.m. at the North Kingstown Community Center on Beach Street in North Kingstown, off Route 1A just south of Wickford.

The proposed waterfowl regulations establish hunting seasons, bag limits and methods of taking. Michael Lapisky, Deputy Chief of Wildlife in DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife notes that the canvasback duck season will be closed this year because the population of canvasbacks has decreased, perhaps due to drought conditions in their breeding grounds. The closure, he said, should not affect many hunters since canvasback duck hunting has not been a major part of the waterfowl hunting season in the past. On the other hand, the season for harvesting migratory Canada geese will increase from 45 to 60 days because of an increase in the Atlantic population, according to Lapisky.

The proposed regulations cover the mandatory purchase of the state waterfowl stamp. This is the first year that there is a cost ($7.50) associated with the state stamp.

There are no changes to the upcoming falconry regulations, Lapisky noted, adding that there are only six falconers in Rhode Island.

The proposed regulations are available on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov by clicking on Fish and Wildlife under Programs (no longer posted). They are also available at the Division of Fish and Wildlife Headquarters in the Oliver Stedman Government Center, 4808 Tower Hill Road in Wakefield, or by calling the Division at 789-3094 weekdays.

Comments should be received at DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife, at the above address, by Monday, September 9 at 4 p.m. or via e-mail to jthursto@dem.state.ri.us by that date.

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rev. 3/25/03