Stewart Mckinney NWR is now open for fishing

The Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the addition of hunting and fishing programs on six national wildlife refuges across the nation, including Stewart B. Mckinney NWR in Connecticut. The Stewart B. McKinney NWR is comprised of eight parcels of land that are stretched across Connecitcut's shoreline.

Located in the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge provides important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for many species of wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds and terns, including the endangered roseate tern. Adjacent waters serve as wintering habitat for brant, scoters, American black duck and other waterfowl. Overall, the refuge encompasses over 800 acres of barrier beach, tidal wetland and fragile island habitats.

Salt Meadow Unit, in Westbrook, CT, and Falkner Island Unit, three miles off the coast of Guilford, CT, have both been designation as an "Important Bird Area" by the National Audubon Society. Falkner Island Unit is home to over 124 pairs of nesting Federally Endangered Roseate Terns and over 3000 nesting pairs of common terns. Salt Meadow Unit is used by over 280 species of migrating neotropical birds during the spring and fall migrations.