By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
When someone buys a fishing or hunting license, registers their boat in Kentucky or purchases an annual Kentucky Wild membership, they’re making an investment in conservation across the state.
According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, that money goes to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife resources throughout Kentucky. A report issued Monday shows some of their 2024 accomplishments:
Expanded public access and improved wildlife habitats
• Opened 73,000+ acres for public recreation by working with landowners to establish public access agreements and by purchasing land.
• Conducted prescribed burns on 9,400 acres to improve wildlife habitats and manage invasive species; and provided training for staff, partners and landowners in safe burning practices.
• Permanently protected 985 acres through conservation easements and land acquisitions via the Stream and Wetland Restoration Program to provide wildlife habitat and environmental benefits.
Educated the public
• Hosted over 40,000 visitors, including 11,000 school group participants, at the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort.
• Developed and opened the new “Healthy Hunting Grounds” exhibit at Salato, highlighting the importance of legal, regulated hunting and thriving habitats.
Enhanced fishing opportunities and aquatic habitats
• Stocked over 4.5 million fish in Kentucky waters to sustain and enhance public fishing opportunities and restore native species.
• Enhanced fish habitats by adding a third habitat improvement barge, recycling more than 4,000 Christmas trees donated by Kentuckians to create and deploy fish cover structures in public lakes and planting 1,350 bald cypress trees on Lake Barkley.
Completed capital projects in local communities
• Replaced the boat ramp on the Salt River at West Point in Hardin County with a new two-lane ramp and parking for 30 vehicles with trailers.
• Built a one-lane ramp on Hinkston Creek in Bourbon County with parking for 15 vehicles with trailers.
• Installed an aluminum courtesy dock on the Little Sandy River in Greenup County.
• Added a new well and pump to flood more than 40 acres at the Sloughs Wildlife Management Area in Henderson County to improve waterfowl habitat.
New programs and innovations
• Redesigned the Trophy Fish and Master Angler Awards programs to offer free printable certificates, patches and stickers for anglers who catch qualifying fish in Kentucky waters.
• Expanded the Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Program to increase the harvest of invasive carp, codifying it in regulations and adding three commercial fishers.