The Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced August 13 what the agency is calling the largest expansion of hunting and sport fishing access in Service history, opening or expanding recreation at 111 field stations across 32 states. The final rule delivers 1,488 new opportunities, defined by the Service as the ability to hunt or fish a specific species at a specific location, and adds first-ever hunting or sport fishing at 14 refuges and three national fish hatcheries.
The fishing scope is broad. The rule covers 107 national wildlife refuges and four national fish hatcheries, with sport fishing added at previously closed waters and first-ever fishing programs at three hatcheries. Some share of the 1,488 count is hunting-only, since a refuge opening deer, waterfowl, and turkey generates three hunting opportunities without touching fishing. The fishing tally sits below the headline number, but it’s not insignificant.
In the proposed rule published in May, Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho and Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico were named as fisheries opening to sport fishing for the first time, per coverage from the Mountain West News Bureau. Whether those and other station-specific changes survived to the final rule is not yet independently verifiable. The final Federal Register text has not published as of August 17, and DOI said only that it will publish “in time for hunting season.” Until then, the definitive station-by-station can be found in the May 2026 proposed rule attachment (Federal Register Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2026-1223).
“These new opportunities will also better align with state regulations, help promote healthy wildlife habitats and boost local recreation economies,” USFWS Director Brian Nesvik said in the release. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in the same release, called the rule a step to reduce “the regulatory burden” and work with states to expand outdoor access.
The May proposal also called for rescinding nonlead ammunition and fishing tackle requirements that had been on track for a September 1, 2026 effective date at nine refuges finalized under 2022 and 2023 rulemakings, per Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Trout Unlimited’s protection campaign center director Steve Kandell told Inside Climate News the broader expansion is a positive development. “Healthy habitat and access, those are kind of the two essential ingredients to good sporting opportunity and to good fishing and hunting,” Kandell said. TU will evaluate the final rule when it publishes.
Anglers with a local refuge or hatchery on the list can check their station’s FWS page for updated regulations as the final text lands.
