Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
Encyclopedia
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), formerly known as the Mississippi Game & Fish Commission, is an agency of the government
of the U.S. state
of Mississippi
responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson
.
The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (ie: Gulf of Mexico
, ocean-going vessels, etc.).
The 5-member commission elects one of them to be chairman and one of them to be vice-chairman. The chairman oversees meetings of the commission and the vice-chairman oversees meetings of the commission when the chairman is absent.
The commission establishes and removes regulations and ordinances as they related to the department. The commission also carries out other duties, responsibilities and powers as they are instructed by government order such as by law or executive order from the Governor.
State government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
.
The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is a state agency of Mississippi. It has its headquarters in the Bolton Building in Biloxi.-External links:*...
, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (ie: Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, ocean-going vessels, etc.).
Leadership
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is made up of five people and are known as the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. These people are appointed by the Governor, however the state Senate must approve them. They serve for a five-year term. The four of the appointments come from each congressional district and the fifth appointment comes from the state at-large.The 5-member commission elects one of them to be chairman and one of them to be vice-chairman. The chairman oversees meetings of the commission and the vice-chairman oversees meetings of the commission when the chairman is absent.
The commission establishes and removes regulations and ordinances as they related to the department. The commission also carries out other duties, responsibilities and powers as they are instructed by government order such as by law or executive order from the Governor.
Mission
The department operates six programs in carrying out its mission:- The Parks and Recreation Program
- The Freshwater Fisheries Management Program
- The Wildlife Management Program
- The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Program
- The Law Enforcement Program
- The Support Services Program
External links
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Official web site
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Official "Kids Klub" web site for children
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Official web site for the Department's Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Official web site for the Department's television show, Mississippi Outdoors
- Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Official web site for the Department's magazine, Mississippi Outdoors Magazine