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Commission approves fisheries rules, clears duck-zone change; several procedural votes recorded
Summary
At its July 16 meeting in Russell, the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks commission approved a package of fisheries regulation changes by roll call and gave consensus to a proposed duck-zone boundary change. The commission also adopted a formal process for asking staff to draft rules for future consideration.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) commission on July 16 approved a set of fisheries regulation changes by roll call and agreed by motion to send a duck-zone boundary change to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its review.
The most consequential recorded vote was on fisheries rules covering trout season dates, creel and size limits and other fisheries housekeeping. The commission held a public hearing and then voted to adopt the changes; the roll call recorded a 7-to-0 vote in favor. Chairman Justin Damron announced the roll call result: “Yes. 7 to 0,” recording unanimous approval.
Commissioners also approved, by a separate motion and consensus, a proposed adjustment to a duck-zone boundary near new Highway 1496 in the Sterling area; staff said the change would not take effect until the 2026 waterfowl season and must be published in the Federal Register after review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Separately, the commission voted informally to adopt a procedural regulation giving it a clear mechanism to direct the secretary to prepare draft rules on a topic and to require that the public have at least two consecutive commission meetings to comment on draft regulatory language before it advances. Commissioners approved the draft-process language by an informal vote.
Votes at a glance - Fisheries regulation package (creel, size, possession limits; trout season dates): motion to adopt after public hearing — outcome: approved, roll call 7–0. - Duck zone boundary change near Sterling / Arkansas River (move roughly a 6‑mile stretch into the late zone): motion to approve proposed boundary change — outcome: approved by consensus; to be submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and published in the Federal Register; effective 2026 season. - Commission rulemaking procedure (KAR amendment establishing formal process to request draft rules and minimum public comment at two consecutive meetings): informally moved, seconded and approved. - Approval of minutes (April meeting): motion moved and seconded; minutes accepted.
What passed and what happens next The fisheries regulation package will be implemented according to the schedule in the department’s promulgation process and was entered into the record after the roll call. The duck-zone boundary change must be forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for federal review and will be published in the Federal Register; KDWP staff said any changes would not be implemented until the 2026–2027 waterfowl seasons.
The new procedural language governing how the commission places topics and draft rules on future agendas will require the secretary or legal staff to produce draft regulatory language at the commission’s direction and will guarantee at least two public opportunities (two successive meetings) to comment on precise proposed rule text before it advances into formal promulgation.
The commission’s actions leave several topics still under staff work or review, including additional fish-and-game regulatory changes slated for the August meeting and ongoing evaluations of nonresident waterfowl use and other user‑conflict issues.
Ending The commission listed the next meeting for Aug. 14 in Garden City, where commissioners said they expect to continue regulatory votes and public discussion on land-use and hunting-season topics.
