WASHINGTON � The Department of the Interior today announced 42 new hunting and sport fishing opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This final update more than triples the number of opportunities and quintuples the number of units opened or expanded compared to the previous administration, underscoring a strong national commitment to outdoor recreation and conservation.
“Hunting and fishing are more than just traditional pastimes, as they are also vital to the conservation of our lands and waters, our outdoor recreation economy, and our American way of life,� said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The Trump administration is committed to promoting good government by reducing regulatory burdens by working with states to make access to these outdoor activities a reality for every American family.�
The Service is opening or expanding opportunities for hunting and sport fishing at 16 units within the National Wildlife Refuge System and one unit in the National Fish Hatchery System. These units are located in Alabama, California, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Texas and Washington. The Service is committed to ensuring that all hunting and fishing opportunities align with state fish and wildlife regulations. We continue to work closely with our state partners to maintain consistency, and align our update with state regulations, whenever possible.
The final update includes inaugural hunting opportunities at Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge and the formal opening of hunting opportunities at Grasslands Wildlife Management Area, as well as inaugural sport fishing at North Attleboro National Fish Hatchery.
The Service also is making administrative changes to existing station-specific regulations to improve the clarity and accuracy of regulations, reduce the regulatory burden on the public and comply with a Presidential mandate for plain-language standards. This supports President Trump’s Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025, to reduce federal regulations and their associated costs and complexities leading to significant cost savings, promote economic growth and encourage innovation, and is further supported by Secretary’s Order 3356 Hunting, Fishing, Recreational Shooting, and Wildlife Conservation Opportunities and Coordination with States, Tribes, and Territories.
“We are pleased to offer these new hunting and fishing opportunities that are compatible with our conservation mission,� said Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Brian Nesvik. “Hunting and fishing significantly benefit the outdoors by helping manage wildlife populations, promote outdoor stewardship and contribute to local economies. These refuges and hatcheries provide incredible opportunities for sportsmen and sportswomen and their families across the country to pass on a fishing and hunting heritage to future generations.�
The final 2025-2026 update also aims to better align Service regulations with state regulations and promote consistency across national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries, addressing the challenges hunters and anglers face in navigating complex federal and state requirements.
Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $394 billion in economic expenditures in communities across the United States in 2022, with hunters and anglers accounting for over $144 billion in expenditures, according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The survey also found that, in 2021, an estimated 39.9 million Americans over the age of 16 fished and 14.4 million hunted.
A complete list of all units opening or expanding opportunities is in the final rule, which will publish in the Federal Register on August 28, 2025, and be available at , Docket Number: FWS-HQ-NWRS-2025-0031. The updates will be effective for the upcoming 2025-2026 hunting seasons beginning on September 2, 2025.
The National Wildlife Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 573 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts. There is a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service� for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas. More than 69 million Americans visit refuges every year. National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation, from fishing, hunting and boating to nature watching, photography and environmental education.
There are 71 national fish hatcheries visited by more than one million people each year in the National Fish Hatchery System. Hatcheries offer opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish, as well as activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking, sightseeing, nature study, birdwatching and photography. In addition to offering opportunities for viewing the operations and learning about fish, many hatcheries also provide picnic areas and offer other activities. Hatcheries have also distributed 73 million fish and aquatic wildlife to enhance state and tribally managed recreational fisheries and boost local economic development. Currently, there are more than 25 units in the National Fish Hatchery System open to hunting and/or sport fishing.
Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and interpretation, when they are compatible with an individual refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is currently permitted on more than 430 units, and fishing is currently permitted on more than 370 units in the Refuge System.
The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands.
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