The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a public hearing for comments on proposed changes to its wildlife management and fishing regulations at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 at Haywood Community College in Clyde.
 
Two hunting proposals will increase the either-sex deer season from conservative to moderate in Polk County and open the raccoon, opossum and bobcat hunting seasons in the Sherwood and Harmon Den Bear Sanctuaries in Haywood County.
 
Of interest to trout anglers is a proposed regulation to classify Cedar Cliff Lake, a 146-acre reservoir in Jackson County, as a hatchery-supported trout water.
 
Two other proposed fishing regulations will modify smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass creel and size limits across the state, as well as in specified areas. The first of these two proposals will increase the general statewide minimum size limit for smallmouth and spotted bass from 12 to 14 inches, allowing two fish within the five-fish daily creel limit to be less than 14 inches. The daily creel limit for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass will remain five fish in combination.
 
The second fishing proposal will affect anglers fishing in public mountain trout waters and all waters in and west of Madison, Buncombe, Henderson and Polk counties, where there is currently a 12-inch minimum for all species of black bass. This proposed regulation, if passed, would increase the minimum size limit for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass from 12 to 14 inches and allow two fish within the five-fish daily creel limit to be less than 14 inches. The daily creel limit for these species would remain five fish in combination.
 
Public hearings allow the agency to inform the public and interested parties about proposed regulations that affect them and to receive their input. Public input is essential for the Commission’s decision-making process and community participation in public hearings is an important component.
 
After collecting and considering all public comments, the Commission will decide whether or not to adopt the proposals at its November meeting.
 
For full text of the proposed regulations changes, see the Proposed Changes in Fishing and Wildlife Management Regulations for 2012-2013 for Public Notice and Presentation at Public Hearings document. The public can also comment by visiting http://www.ncwildlife.org and clicking on “2012-2013 Proposed Regulations Comments.”

Originally published 2011-09-06 06:16:07 PM.