Change is in the Air in Regard to New Hampshire Fish and Game

It was recently announced that 11-year New Hampshire Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau would be stepping down at the end of his term this March. Per Robert “Moose” Phillipson, chairman of the Fish and Game Commission, the decision came after the 11-member commission voted not to recommending Normandeau for another term.

“We decided to go in another direction instead of re-appointing him... The department just has not moved forward as much as we would have liked to see it... By getting a new director, we get new ideas and ways to deal with emerging stuff... - ROBERT ‘MOOSE’ PHILLIPSON, CHAIRMAN, NH FISH AND GAME COMMISSION”

As we see it, change is good and hopefully this will open the door to further discussion in regard to New Hampshire’s faltering Wild Trout Management program.

We also hope we can establish some dialogue regarding stocking over wild trout, stocking nonnatives in critical wild trout habitat, private stocking of third-party fish in public water, and trout management in general.

In 2018, the New Hampshire Legislature passed a bill, Senate Bill 48, to establish a commission to study the efficiency and effectiveness of Fish and Game Department. Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests staff member Matt Leahy was appointed by Governor Sununu to represent the conservation community.

While Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests states that NH F&G is “chronically underfunded”, and they are when you consider things like search-and-rescue, non-game wildlife management, boating and ORVs, etc., we believe that the department could also gain some relief by reevaluating their trout stocking practices.

In general, wild trout management has taken a backseat to put-and-take stocking, and very much so. New Hampshire is stocking water that doesn’t need to be, stocking over wild fish, and not using their stocked fish resources in an efficient manner.

NFC is hoping to meet with the new Executive Director as well as some members of the Fish and Game Commission. Wild native trout anglers and conservationists deserve a seat at the table. Currently we are on the outside looking in.