Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game

Our environmental justice work is stronger when we follow the leadership of Indigenous communities. This Indigenous Peoples Day, we celebrate their power and continue our partnership to build a healthier, more equitable future for everyone in Massachusetts.?

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day! Today, we honor the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities in Massachusetts. We’re proud to work alongside them to protect our shared natural resources and advance environmental justice.

Happy Estuaries Week! This past spring the Boston Harbor Ecosystem Network (BHEN) and MassBays partnered with the Back River Watershed Association, the Town of Weymouth, and the MA Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) for a tour in the Back River watershed. The Back River’s fringing salt marshes are also part of a coastal system that supports the Weymouth Herring Run, one of the largest herring runs in Massachusetts! The salt marsh habitat faces an uncertain future due to accelerating sea level rise combined with an inability of the marsh to migrate up the steep esker (the tallest in North America.) To maintain the strength of the herring run, the Town of Weymouth, MA DMF, and others continue to seek removal of barriers and improvement of conditions for fish passage in the urban Back River watershed. #nationalestuariesweek2024 #bostonharborecosystemnetwork #massbaysnep #blackriverwatershedassociation #massdivisionofmarinefisheries #weymouthherringrun Photos by Diana Chin: Salt marsh in Great Esker Park and Jackson Square fish ladder and river herring https://lnkd.in/d4XTMYci

Northern Lights over MassWildlife HQ in Westborough. Total surprise to see this!

As we develop nation-leading biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050,?we are embracing diverse public input. Thank you to all who shared your thoughts! ?? This summer, over 300 people attended two listening sessions, and 60 shared three-minute testimony. Over 200 people submitted written comments—including 89 individuals, 79 conservation, climate, and community organizations, over 20 municipalities or committee/commission members, 9 faith-based or public health organizations, 7 educators or academics, and 8 businesses. Visit our website to read the comments and?stay tuned?for future ways to engage > https://lnkd.in/eMBkWtA7

Did you know that nature is directly linked to our wellbeing? Spending time outdoors is directly linked to many positive mental health outcomes such as improved focus, lower stress, better mood, and many other benefits. We encourage you to get outside to enjoy the beautiful green and blue spaces around you. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out our project map for some of our completed restoration areas that provide open space for the public! Pictured is Nashawannuck Brook, a #DERPriorityProject in Northampton that has public trails. Check out our map here ??https://bit.ly/3z4v1NG ??: Division of Ecological Restoration

This is going to be a great job! great team + great projects = serious on the ground environmental, economic, and social gains for nature and coastal communities. I’m looking forward to continued collaboration with DMF and this new staffer.

DMF is hiring! Apply today for the role of Offshore Wind & Fisheries Specialist. ?? You'll play a key role in inter-agency and intra-agency work groups, conduct outreach, and review documents related to the impacts of offshore wind on the Massachusetts fishing industry and marine life. Apply today > https://lnkd.in/eK6u68jj #JobOpportunity #OffshoreWind #Fisheries

Last Friday, Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game gathered with the community to dedicate the Goose Pond Boat Ramp to Evan "Cole" Colbert and celebrate increased access to this beloved Berkshires spot. ?? Through an annual ice fishing derby, the community raised over $5,000 for improvements to the facility in Colbert's memory, including an accessible concrete sidewalk and floating docks to improve access for people of all abilities. “The dedication of this public access point to Evan Colbert is a fitting tribute to a young man whose great love of the outdoors and passion for fishing and boating has inspired his family and friends to give back,” said?DFG Commissioner Tom O'Shea. Thank you to State Representative Smitty Pignatelli, officials from the towns of Tyringham and Lee, the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, family and friends, and community members for joining us. https://lnkd.in/ekmJdpew

Last Friday, Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game gathered with the community to dedicate the Goose Pond Boat Ramp to Evan "Cole" Colbert and celebrate increased access to this beloved Berkshires spot. ?? Through an annual ice fishing derby, the community raised over $5,000 for improvements to the facility in Colbert's memory, including an accessible concrete sidewalk and floating docks to improve access for people of all abilities. “The dedication of this public access point to Evan Colbert is a fitting tribute to a young man whose great love of the outdoors and passion for fishing and boating has inspired his family and friends to give back,” said?DFG Commissioner Tom O'Shea. Thank you to State Representative Smitty Pignatelli, officials from the towns of Tyringham and Lee, the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, family and friends, and community members for joining us. https://lnkd.in/ekmJdpew