Natural Resources Commission to meet Thursday in Houghton

HOUGHTON — Deer hunting quotas, moose survey results and a brook trout study are just some of the topics to be covered at the next regular meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission Thursday, June 8. The commission will gather on the Upper Peninsula’s Keweenaw Peninsula at Michigan Technological University’s Memorial Union Building, 1400 Townsend Drive in Houghton.

The day begins with a 9 a.m. meeting of the State Parks Advisory Committee, where commissioners will hear from the finance subcommittee and receive updates on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division strategic plan, the ongoing state forest roads inventory and the trails program.

At 12:30 p.m., the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will discuss adaptive management of the muskellunge fishery, Upper Peninsula brook trout regulations and recommendations on antlerless deer quotas. The committee also will hear reports on white-nose syndrome in bats and the recent moose survey, as well as updates from the Upper Peninsula Habitat Workgroup and the U.P. Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force.

The Committee of the Whole follows at 3 p.m. and will include an update on state parks and trails, presentation of a DNR Lifesaving Award to Conservation Officer Pat Hartsig, and the regular legislative update.

Immediately following the Committee of the Whole, the NRC will receive public comments. Those wishing to appear before the commission should contact Cheryl Nelson, executive assistant to the NRC, at 517-284-6237 or nelsonc@michigan.gov to register.

Following public comments, the commission is expected to take action on deer regulations and statewide salmon, trout, whitefish and smelt regulations.

DNR Director Keith Creagh then is scheduled to announce decisions on several land transactions.

For more information about the Natural Resources Commission, including full agendas and meeting minutes, visit www.michigan.gov/nrc.