Commission considering WMA boating regulation

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission heard a proposal at its monthly meeting Thursday in Little Rock to reduce reckless boat operation on wildlife management areas.

The commission will vote on a motion to approve the regulation at its June 18 meeting in Springdale.

The proposed regulation addresses reckless boating practices during duck season that occur when when boaters race away from boat ramps at the beginning of legal access time. The most notable examples occur at Bayou Meto WMA.

The proposed regulation would make it unlawful to operate motorboats or vessels or manipulate any similar device in a reckless or negligent manner that endangers the life, limb or property of any person, including weaving through congested boat traffic, moving at a speed that exceeds the safe and reasonable limits under the circumstances or that creates a hazardous wash or wake and colliding with or striking another vessel, object or person.

The regulation would apply to 26 commission-owned WMAs, including Bayou Meto, Dave Donaldson Black River, Dagmar and others that are known for duck hunting. It would not apply to WMAs that the commission does not own.

A person convicted for violating the proposed regulation would be prohibited from being on the WMA where the violation occurred for a period of one year from the date of conviction.

Dick Baxter, chief of the commission's wildlife management division, said the regulation would strengthen existing boating regulations.

"We think that's going to get violators' attention pretty well," Baxter said.

In other wildlife management business, the commission approved a long-term agreement to lease an 18,400-acre tract in Hot Spring County for hunting, fishing and wildlife management. Under the agreement, the commission will lease the Jack Mountain Tract for 20 years for $1.5 million. That amounts to a price of $4 per acre for the duration of the lease, Baxter said. The agreement will be executed upon receipt of a final appraisal.

The commission also approved spending $2,023 million to buy about 900 acres adjacent to the Raft Creek Bottoms WMA in White County from Jon and Deanna Cypert. Most of the money will come from two federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants. The AGFC will contribute about $187,000 in state funds.

In addition, the commission authorized spending $700,000 to complete the purchase of the 1,377-acre Robinwood Tract that is adjacent to Wattensaw WMA in Prairie County.

In other business, the commission approved creating a new class of resident annual hunting and fishing licenses for people 65 and older. The annual resident 65-plus hunting and fishing licenses will cost $3.50 each. The annual resident 65-plus combination hunting and fishing license will cost $4.50.

Sports on 05/22/2015

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