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Anglers and hunters and other boaters who use the state's waterways are being reminded by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Fisheries Division of a new regulation that took effect Jan. 1, 2021, requiring all boat drain plugs to be removed before and during trailering of vessels to and from access facilities on lakes, rivers and streams. A similar boat plug regulation was already in place in 21 other states to help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance species, and the new AGFC rule was part of an extensive list of regulations recommended by the Fisheries Division and approved by the Commission in 2020, to take effect beginning Jan. 1. Aquatic nuisance species such as silver carp, giant salvinia, zebra mussels and others continue to spread across waterbodies in Arkansas, and the AGFC has as its mission a responsibility to put mechanisms in place to slow the spread.
Arkansas
Spotlights
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the release of the newly created Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook, a guide to resources available in Arkansas to assist with feral hog control and eradication. The handbook includes contact information, websites, and brief explanations of the resources offered by state and federal agencies and other entities. "The Arkansas Feral Hog Handbook was made possible through a grant funded by the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. We appreciate their partnership and the information provided by other Feral Hog Eradication Task Force members to make the handbook a comprehensive educational resource for Arkansans," said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward.
The handbooks are being distributed to the public at locations throughout the state with assistance from partner organizations, including the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas Game and Fish, and Arkansas Farm Bureau. Copies of the handbook can be requested at lori.scott-nakai@arkansas.gov. An online version (2020; PDF | 4.48 MB) is also available.
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
Another documented report of giant salvinia along the Texas-Arkansas border was confirmed by Texas Parks and Wildlife last week, creating additional concern from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists about the nuisance plant's spread into The Natural State. Giant Salvinia is a free-floating South American plant, similar in appearance to duckweed but much larger. It stays at the water's surface and can rapidly cover a large area and choke out all life in the water beneath if left unchecked. Arkansas's first confirmed case of giant salvinia entering the state was documented in 2017 in Smith Park Lake in Miller County followed shortly after by sightings in Sulphur River Wildlife Management Area. It was confirmed in Lake Erling in December 2018 and Lake Columbia in 2019. Anyone spotting giant salvinia in an Arkansas lake is encouraged to call the AGFC's Fisheries Division at 800-364-4263 to report the location.
Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
Located across approximately 39 states, feral hogs cause an estimated $1.5 billion annually in agricultural and ecological damage. The Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force is a group of agencies dedicated to eradicating feral hogs from the state. Accurately measuring the Arkansas feral hog population is part of that process. Sightings can be reported at the Arkansas Feral Hog Sighting Report Form.
State Specific Threats
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Includes invasive species by category for insects, diseases, plants, and animals.
See also: Invasive Species Status Report by Congressional District
Selected Resources
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State and Local Government
Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Arkansas Forestry Commission (AFC).
The AR Forestry Division aims to maintain healthy, productive forest ecosystems by preventing, detecting, and suppressing damaging insects and diseases across all land ownerships.
Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
Serving the citizens of Arkansas and the agricultural and business communities by providing information and unbiased enforcement of laws and regulations set by the Arkansas State Plant Board.