(The Center Square) – Louisiana wildlife officials are using conservation funding to cover staff costs for chronic wasting disease testing, leaving less money available for other conservation efforts, the department said.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recorded $133,556.53 in laboratory testing expenses last year, the department's Trey Iles told The Center Square. Staff time and supplies are additional costs.
Competitive grants cover most laboratory diagnostic expenses, Iles said, but those grants do not pay for the employees’ time.
“We rely on funds allocated for wildlife management and conservation to support the staff time and effort required for this work,” Iles said. “While this limits the funding available for other conservation efforts, deer are considered an important wildlife species in Louisiana.”
Iles did not identify specific conservation projects affected or provide a total for staff time and supplies. His response also did not identify the grants or specify how much they contributed toward the laboratory expenses.
Enforcing chronic wasting disease management zone regulations receives no additional or dedicated funding, Iles said. Regional enforcement personnel handle those responsibilities as part of their routine wildlife enforcement duties throughout the parishes they serve.
The department outlined its testing goals and management zone requirements Tuesday as deer season continues across Louisiana. Hunter participation in testing will help determine whether baiting remains allowed in those zones next season.
Each management zone has a goal of 145 samples. Every deer submitted for testing counts toward that goal, according to Wildlife and Fisheries.
Hunters may place bait and supplemental feed within management zones through March 31 this season. If a zone misses its sampling goal or its apparent chronic waste disease prevalence exceeds 2.5%, baiting will be prohibited there the following season, the department said.
The requirements make the number of samples collected a factor in future hunting restrictions, alongside the test results themselves.
Management zones are smaller this season, and some existing sample drop-off coolers are now outside zone boundaries. The Wildlife Department urged hunters to check current locations before submitting samples.
The department is adding coolers at Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish and D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge in Ouachita and Union parishes.
Wildlife and Fishers’ announcement did not provide a cost for the additional coolers. Zone maps and sampling locations are available on the department’s website.