Game Fish and Parks Commission votes to change beaver and otter trapping rules and fishing on Lake Francis Case

The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Commission met Thursday in Aberdeen and discussed three policies for the first time. Those include banning the trapping of beavers throughout the Black Hills where their population has declined, allowing more river otter trapping in eastern South Dakota where their numbers have grown, and to allow year-round fishing in the area of Lake Francis Case that currently is closed from December through April. The commission adopted the proposed changes, but they will not officially go into effect until lawmakers on the Rules Review Committee approve them at a meeting June 10^th in Pierre.