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MDC And Cape County Commission Partner To Improve Fish Habitats In Park Lakes

Lindsey Grojean/KRCU

The Missouri Department of Conservation has partnered with the Cape Girardeau County Commission in a Community Assistance Program (CAP) agreement to make improvements to the lakes at County Parks North and South. MDC fisheries regional supervisor, Christopher Kennedy, says it’s part of a program that works to expand fishing opportunities across the state.

The program usually consists of management tasks including restocking fish, enhancing habitats, enforcing Wildlife Code regulations at the lakes, and expanding programs such as the Urban Trout Fishing program, which is popular throughout Missouri.

“What we’ll do is, we’ll work with those cities that already have empowerments or resources that we can help them manage to make those resources as quality as they can be for the public,” says Kennedy.

He says there are fish in both lakes, but they haven’t been managed the way MDC manages other lakes across the state.

They’re planning to drain the south park lake down to enhance fish habitats, create a trail around the lake, and refurbish one of the nearby gazebos. Construction on the South Park Lake should begin in early summer.

MDC fisheries management biologist, Jason Crites reported populations after a 2017 assessment of the North County Lake.

“We found a healthy fish population consisting of largemouth bass and bluegill,” Crites said. “We’ll stock channel catfish and possibly red ear sunfish later this year.”

Created in 1980, CAP provides local fishing opportunities across Missouri.

For more information about fishing in Missouri, visit: mdc.mo.gov/fish.

For more information about CAP agreements, call the MDC’s Southeast Regional Office at (573) 290-5730.