New Mexico Closes Various Areas to Fishing, but Hunting and Fishing Seasons Remain Open
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has closed numerous Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and Open Gate properties to fishing due to crowding and the danger of spreading COVID-19. However, no hunting or fishing season closures are planned.
According to Department Director Mike Sloane, a number of popular fishing areas have been closed because anglers have been crowding there, endangering themselves and the public of possible infection with the Corona virus. Social distancing orders are in place and must be practiced by all sportsmen and women.
The areas closed are:
-Bear Canyon Reservoir near Mimbres
-Bill Evans Lake Wildlife Management Area near Silver City
-Colin Neblett Wildlife Management Area near Eagle Nest
-Monastery Lake near the Village of Pecos
-Seven Springs Brood Pond located at Seven Springs Hatchery in the Jemez Mountains
-Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association (RCCLA) Open Gate public fishing access near Costilla
-Rio de los Pinos Wildlife Management Area near Tres Piedras along the New Mexico/Colorado border
Despite these property closures, fishing has not been closed. Anglers are simply required to avoid congregating in areas and maintain a six-foot distance of each other. Also, social media posts claiming that New Mexico has canceled its hunting seasons are false. New Mexico plans to move forward with 2020-2021 hunting seasons and will announce the results of the big-game drawings by April 29, 2020 or sooner.
