A total of 6,069 people attended the 2013 Spring Fisheries and Wildlife Hearings and Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings that were held in every county statewide on Monday, April 8.

The public hearings provide citizens with an opportunity to comment and indicate preference on a range of fish and wildlife management proposed rule changes, Conservation Congress advisory questions and to submit resolutions for rule changes they would like to see in the future.

Statewide hearing results and the questions are available on the Spring Rules Hearings page of the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov.

Meeting results, along with written comments on the evening’s questions and DNR recommendations, are used to advise the state Natural Resources Board. This year’s results will be reviewed at the board’s May 22 meeting in Madison. Votes are non-binding and are presented to the Natural Resources Board as advisory.

The hearings are held annually on the second Monday in April in conjunction with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress county meetings. DNR-related proposals are presented to attendees by DNR staff. Following DNR business, the meeting is reconvened as a Conservation Congress meeting and congress advisory questions are presented. The Spring Hearings also provide an opportunity for citizens of each county to elect Wisconsin Conservation Congress delegates to represent them on natural resource issues. The congress is an advisory body to the Natural Resources Board. During the congress’ portion of the hearing, citizens may introduce resolutions for consideration and vote by those attending the hearings.