Government Shutdown - has it affected your fishing?

[Panman]

Tomorrow is opening day of waterfowl hunting in many states across the country. The federal marshes in California & Oregon will be closed until this boondoggle is resolved. I imagine marshes in other states will also be closed.

While this won't effect me I suspect it will tick off a lot of hunters.

Panman

[Grn Mt Man]

Hasn't affected my fishing locally; but, suspect any fishing around Washington, DC has mostly ceased. I've heard that there's way too much BS in the water now!!! Much, much greater then normal. And, no end in sight for now either.

[Fly Goddess]

Isn't YNP closed? That's gotta hurt a bunch of people in West and Gardiner?

Just read this:
From first-hand reports out of Jackson and W. Yellowstone areas: All highways and through roads are open for residents and through traffic; but no stopping, hiking, FISHING, or any other activities are allowed. No use of turn-outs. Traffic is also open for NE corner Cooke City residents. Same for Grand Teton! Craziness.

[BigA]

I lucked out with the timing of a sight seeing trip in Utah. Last week my wife and I visited five National Parks and two National Monuments in southern Utah during the week of September 21st.. The sights and hiking were spectacular. We got back home on on Saturday, September 28th. If I had planned this trip for this week (and I planned it many months ago) I would have had to cancel the trip and several cancellation fees for lodging and plane fare would have been to paid. I also might have been at risk of losing my week of vacation time, too.

I feel bad for anybody that had plans to visit or stay in any National Parks or National Monuments as well for the people that work or make a living near these places. This ridiculous situation is costing a lot of citizens a lot of time and money.

[rizeye]

This is absurd. This is PUBLIC land! we don't need government workers to access PUBLIC land!

[Longs for Cutts]

Yes, but you need them to administer it. Who's going to respond in YNP when some moron gets charged by a buffalo or falls in a hot spring?

[Byron haugh]

Agree Wally. AND, if there weren't enough Park Rangers on duty, some folks would probably be taking fish out as well.

[waskeyc]

This is absurd. This is PUBLIC land! we don't need government workers to access PUBLIC land!

For the National Parks and National Monuments, I can understand the need to have employees on duty. Otherwise, can you imagine what the bathrooms and trash cans would look like after a day or two?

But for the National Forests, where most access is on unimproved hiking trails, with no facilities, and most visitors never contacting a Ranger during normal activities, the situation is not so clear. Then again, since most access in my area is from state-maintained roads, I don't see how a "closure" affects access. There are no gates, no signs, no facilities...

Back to the original question, I had a great time camping, canoeing, and fishing at a state park this weekend.

[Icemanxxxv]

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Suspends Operations in Missouri Due to Federal Government Lapse in Appropriations

Due to a lapse in appropriations that has caused a federal government shutdown, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facilities and lands are now closed to the public and public use activities have been suspended nationwide. This includes all National Wildlife Refuges, Waterfowl Production Areas, National Fish Hatcheries, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Offices and Ecological Services Offices.

In Missouri the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has closed nine national wildlife refuges, one ecological services office, one national fish hatchery and one fish and wildlife coordination office totaling more than 61,000 acres of land.

Squaw Creek, Swan Lake, Great River, Clarence Cannon, Big Muddy, Middle Mississippi, Pilot Knob, Mingo and Ozark Cavefish national wildlife refuges and Neosho National Fish Hatchery are all now closed to public access and any events scheduled at these facilities have been cancelled. In addition, the Columbia Fish and Wildlife Coordination Office, Ecological Services Office and Private Lands Office are also closed.

Wildlife-related recreational activities on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands, such as hunting, fishing, environmental education or other public events scheduled at any of these facilities are cancelled.

We are asking the public to delay their plans to visit any of these locations until U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and facilities are re-opened.

In the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which covers the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin, more than 800 employees have been placed in unpaid furlough status and 55 national wildlife refuges, 12 wetland management districts, six national fish hatcheries and more than 1.2 million acres of federal public lands are closed.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

-- FWS --

[DG]

all national parks, monuments and forests are closed

The Forests are not closed, but we did shut down the campgrounds and all the offices. Law enforcement is still at work but nobody is answering phones, selling maps, offering information, etc. Much as most of us would rather be working, even if we were not getting paid, it is against the law for us to do so (Antideficiency Act). Hunting and fishing is still ongoing on all the land on my Forest.