Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission to hold quarterly meeting Dec. 6 in Frankfort

​​​​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 27, 2024) — The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission has scheduled a meeting starting at 8:30 a.m. (EST) on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.

​​​The meeting will take place in the Administration Building on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources campus in Frankfort, and it is open to the public.

​​​The meeting will be livestreamed and archived on the department’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/FishandWildlifeKY. A link to the livestream will be posted on the department’s homepage at fw.ky.gov before the start of the meeting.

​​​Among the action items related to hunting on the commission’s meeting agenda are: a proposed increase in the daily limit for northern pintail from one to three for the 2025 duck season (301 KAR 2:221), and a proposal to add the Federal Duck Stamp (e-stamp) to the list of licenses/permits offered for sale online by the department (301 KAR 5:022).

Fishing-related items include proposed modification of traditional fishing regulations on selected waterbodies including the removal of catch-and-release regulations for sport fish on Clear Fork (Logan and Warren counties); removal of the four-fish daily limit for Channel Catfish and 15-fish daily limit on sunfish from ponds on the Boone Tract of Kentucky River Wildlife Management Area; addition of a 10-inch minimum size limit for crappie on Nolin River Lake and Rough River Lake; and a proposal to add an 18-inch to 26-inch protective slot limit and two-fish daily limit for native walleye on the Rockcastle River (301 KAR 1:201).​​​

​​​The department also proposes to transfer the deed of the Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area to Meade County Fiscal Court to better provide the public with some of the historic recreational opportunities allowed there, while still maintaining public fishing and hunting access in partnership with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

The commission will also receive a status update on Chronic Wasting Disease and will receive proposals from department staff: for increased funding for a selective largemouth bass breeding research project to facilitate production of “Thoroughbred Bass;” to endorse a feasibility study of a low-voltage fish fence to harvest invasive carp in large quantities; and to create a new regulation regarding the holding and preservation of seized wildlife.​​​

​​​The full meeting agenda can be found at fw.ky.gov. On the homepage, click on the “Commission Meetings/Agendas and Recaps” link.

​​​Public comments for the meeting will be handled as follows:

​​​In Person:

• In-person attendees who would like to comment on “New Business Items” or “Discussion Items" on the agenda will be asked to sign up on the public comment request form on the table at the meeting room entrance by 9 a.m. (EST) on the day of the meeting, and specify their county and state of residence, organization represented and position held if applicable, and the specific agenda items they intend to address in their comments.
• During the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, attendees who have signed up to comment will each have up to three minutes (total time per person) to offer comments about the “New Business” or “Discussion Items” that they have specified to address on the sign-up sheet.

​​​Email:

• People may email comments about “New Business Items” and “Discussion Items" on the agenda to FW.PublicAffairs@ky.gov​ through 5 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Please include “commission meeting" in the email's subject line. In the email, commenters should include their first and last name, county and state of residence, and organization represented with position held in the organization, if applicable.
• Emailed comments will be distributed to all commission members at least 24 hours prior to the meeting for their review individually. Time permitting and at the discretion of the commission chair, emailed comments will be read by department staff for up to three minutes total per commenter during the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, provided the commenter does not speak during the public comments time during the meeting.
• Anonymous comments submitted via email will be distributed to the commission members but may not be read during the meeting.
• The commission will review all emailed comments, and questions will receive an email response.
• Contact information is not required for emailed comments but will be necessary if information is requested, and other than name and affiliation that information will not be publicly disclosed if provided.
• The commission chair reserves the right to not read publicly or allow any comments that are considered libelous, profane, derogatory of others, repetitive or not relevant to the new business or discussion items on the meeting agenda.

The commission is a nine-member board, comprised of volunteers who serve four-year terms. Commission members are nominated by active hunters and anglers at public meetings, appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the Kentucky senate. The commission recommends hunting, fishing and boating regulations to conserve fish and wildlife and support related outdoor recreation opportunities in the commonwealth.​​​

The next quarterly meeting date following the December meeting is to be determined.​​​

​​​Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's main campus is located at 1 Sportsman's Lane (formerly 1 Game Farm Road) in Frankfort​, and its Administration Building is a large, two-story brick building about ½ mile north of the campus entrance. The entrance is located off U.S. 60, approximately 1½ miles west of U.S. 127.