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COMMUNITY LAKES SIGN ON WITH
WILDLIFE AND PARKS
Agency adds two new lakes to Community
Fisheries Assistance Program
Dec. 15, 2005 - PRATT -- In the spring of 2005, the
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) launched the Community
Fisheries Assistance Program (CFAP). Using matching funds from
federal excise taxes on fishing equipment and motor boat fuel,
the department began offering leases for fishing rights to the
state's 221 community lakes. Most municipalities with community
lakes signed on immediately, enabling them to eliminate fees
formerly charged for angler access. The result was that fees
for anglers on nearly 14,000 acres of water were removed.
Now, KDWP has announced that two major community
lakes have entered the program: Afton Lake, 20 miles southwest
of Wichita and Council Grove City Lake, near Council Grove. These
two lakes comprise an additional 675 surfaces acres of water
available to anglers free of charge.
In 2005, CFAP used $800,000 in federal aid from
a $1,000,000 federal Sport Fish Restoration Act reauthorization.
KDWP was responsible for 25 percent of the program's cost. Operation
and maintenance of local community fisheries accounts for the
department's 25 percent match.
"We're happy to have these new lakes in the
program because the communities will no longer have to charge
anglers to fish," explains Doug Nygren, KDWP Fisheries Section
chief. "Removing this barrier increases opportunities at
some very good community lakes."
Lakes that had never been charging fees are also
included in the program. Lease money for these lakes can be used
to improve fisheries and angler facilities. KDWP has designed
a lease rate formula based on the number of surface acres and
the quality of the fishery and facilities at these lakes. Larger
lakes offering more facilities receive greater lease amounts
than smaller lakes with fewer facilities. This formula allows
KDWP to offer the program to all community fishing lakes.
Along with the lease payments, the department provides
participating local governments with increased access to resources
and contact with district fisheries biologists. Lakes in the
program also receive priority for fish stocking, habitat improvement
services, and additional improvement grants. This improves fisheries
management and facilities for Kansas anglers statewide.
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