Fish and Wildlife Regulatory Revisions

Proposed, Emergency, and Recently Adopted Regulations and Pre-proposals

Pre-proposals

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) 6 NYCRR Part 664, Freshwater Wetlands

DEC seeks stakeholder input on potential updates to freshwater wetlands protection and classification regulations. This ANPRM is a feedback-gathering exercise, not a regulatory action. The public are invited to review the ANPRM and the pre-proposal draft of the regulatory updates to 6 NYCRR Part 664, Freshwater Wetlands.

6 NYCRR Part 182.5-Listing of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species

This pre-proposal is to revise the list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species. The public are invited to review the draft changes and the accompanying species status assessments.

Proposed Regulations

How to Comment on Proposed Fish and Wildlife Regulations

6 NYCRR Chapter 1, Subchapter 1 – Bass Fishing Tournament Permit and Reporting System

The proposed rulemaking will help identify the occurrence and distribution of black bass (largemouth bass and smallmouth bass) fishing tournaments through a free tournament permit and reporting system. The information derived from this system would help DEC respond to issues such as user conflicts, overuse of the resource, and concerns about fish populations.

6 NYCRR Part 180.1; ECL Section 11-0511-Animals dangerous to health or welfare.

This rulemaking is to expand the list of animals which pose a risk to health or welfare of the people of the state or indigenous fish and wildlife.

6 NYCRR Part 1.11 - Amendment to Deer Hunting Seasons

This rulemaking would provide an option for counties to annually be excluded from the holiday deer hunt from December 26 to January 1 due to perceived concerns about potential impact to snowmobiling activity.

Emergency Regulations

There are no current emergency regulations for the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Recently Adopted Regulations

6 NYCRR Part 1.4 - Amendments to Turkey Hunting Seasons on Long Island and Statewide Shot Size Restrictions

This rulemaking would establish a regular spring turkey hunting season on Long Island with a 1-bird bag limit and would amend the minimum shot size restriction to allow the use of shot sizes as small as #9.

  • Text of Proposed Regulation (PDF) - Underlines contained in the text denote new material. Brackets [ ] indicate material to be deleted.
  • Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF) - provides background and additional information.
  • Adopted on August 8, 2022. Effective on September 1, 2022. 

6 NYCRR Parts 10, 19 and 35 - Sportfishing Regulation Simplification and Clean-up

These adoptions eliminate unnecessary regulations, provide consistency, and align regulations with actual management intent.

6 NYCRR Part 10 - Amendment to Sportfishing Regulations

These adoptions establish more conservative harvest regulations for sunfish and crappie, including an experimental program for larger sunfish.

6 NYCRR Parts 6.2 and 6.3 - Amendments to Fisher and Marten Trapping Regulations

This rulemaking is necessary to remove the requirement for trappers to obtain a special fisher trapping permit. This proposal would also remove the requirement for trappers to submit marten carcasses while maintaining the requirement for a special pine marten permit. A trapping license and pelt sealing would still be required for both fisher and marten.

  • Text of Proposed Regulation (PDF) - Underlines contained in the text denote new material. Brackets [ ] indicate material to be deleted.
  • Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF) - provides background and additional information.
  • Adopted on January 1, 2022. Effective January 1, 2022. 6 NYCRR Part 51 - Adoption of Updated Wildlife Management Area Regulations

This rulemaking repeals 6 NYCRR Parts 51, 61, 75 and 84 and adopts a new 6 NYCRR Part 51. There has been increased public demand for WMAs as more people seek outdoor recreation and the amendments ensure these natural resources and wildlife are protected.

6 NYCRR Parts 1.11, 1.18, 1.31, 2.1, and 2.15 - Amendments to Deer and Bear Hunting Regulations

This rulemaking was necessary to increase antlerless harvest in specific Wildlife Management Units where needed, allow big game hunters to hunt during the entire daily period of ambient light, simplify bear hunting regulations in the Adirondacks, and enhance hunter safety while big game hunting with a firearm.

6 NYCRR Part 10 - Amendment to Trout Stream Sportfishing Regulations

This rulemaking revised and standardizes inland trout stream fishing regulations by creating a statewide inland trout stream regulation, four regulation categories, and creating a catch and release season from October 15 through March 31.

  • Text of Regulation (PDF) - Underlines contained in the text denote new material. Brackets [ ] indicate material to be deleted.
  • Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF) - provides background and additional information.
  • Adopted on March 24, 2021. Effective April 1, 2021.

6 NYCRR Part 182; ECL Sections 3-0301 and 11-0535 - Clarifying determination of jurisdiction under the Endangered and Threatened Fish and Wildlife regulations.

This rulemaking improves the review of projects by removing some project types from the review process that are known not to cause harm and continues to protect threatened and endangered species.

  • Text of Proposed Regulation (PDF) - Underlines contained in the text denote new material. Brackets [ ] indicate material to be deleted.
  • Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF) - provides background and additional information.
  • Adopted on March 2, 2021. Effective on March 17, 2021.

6 NYCRR Part 1.11 - Amendment to Deer Hunting Seasons.

This rulemaking would establish a bow and muzzleloader deer hunting season in the Southern Zone during the Christmas and New Year holiday week.

6 NYCRR Part 6.1 and 6.2 ECL Sections 11-0301, 11-0303, 11-1101 and 11-1103 - Amendments to New York State mink, muskrat, and beaver trapping season dates.

This rulemaking is to align existing mink, muskrat and beaver trapping season start dates and adjust the seasons to trapper-preferred dates.

6 NYCRR Parts 151, 153, 170, 174, 182; ECL Sections 11-0535, 11-0535-a, 11-0536, 11-1707, 11-1728, 11-1901, 11-903, 11-1905, and 11-1907-Omnibus changes to 6NYCRR

This rulemaking brings regulations current with statutory changes and to improve application efficiency as part of the Governor's Lean initiative.

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DFW, Bureau of Wildlife
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233

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