AGFC approves Lake Erling agreement

Despite complaints from lake users, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved a management agreement with the American Gamebird Research, Education and Development Foundation to manage fish and wildlife at Lake Erling on Thursday at its monthly meeting in Little Rock. Based in Shreveport, the foundation is a nonprofit corporation that owns Lake Erling, a popular, 8,200-acre lake in Lafayette County. The foundation was formerly called the African Gamebird Research, Education and Development Foundation. International Paper Co., Lake Erling’s original owner, donated the lake to the foundation in 2013. The lake is known for excellent bass, catfish and crappie fishing. Alligators and migratory waterfowl inhabit its waters as well. Lake users have an acrimonious, litigious relationship with the foundation. The commission’s agreement with the foundation is limited to managing the lake’s fish and wildlife and creating public hunting and fishing opportunities, but attorneys for the presented a number of grievances before the commission. Members of the commission reminded the attorneys that the commission’s sole interest is in managing the lake’s publicly owned resources. “We ain’t got a dog in your fight,” Game and Fish Commissioner Joe Morgan of Little Rock said. In other wildlife-related business, the commission voted to establish a new 720-acre green tree reservoir at Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area near Brookings. The project will require the installation of a 48-inch-diameter pipe and water control structure to facilitate flooding of 514 acres within the designated green tree reservoir area. The estimated cost of the project is $35,000. The funds will come from the commission’s settlement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for timber damage caused by unauthorized water releases from Clearwater Lake in Missouri.