U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Facts: ■ Provide wildlife-related recreation ■ Established: 1932. and environmental education for the public. ■ Acres: 16,411. Management Tools ■ Other management responsibilities: ■ Prescribed fire. Swanquarter Presidential ■ Mechanical/chemical control of Proclamation (27,000 acres in noxious plants. Pamlico sound). photo: USFWS photo: ■ Education/interpretation. Swanquarter National Wilderness Area (8,800 acres). ■ Law enforcement. ■ Location: North shore of Pamlico Public Use Opportunities Sound east and west of the village ■ Fishing (saltwater by boat or pier). of Swan Quarter accessible by boat only except for the Bell Island Unit ■ Crabbing. (2 miles west of Swan Quarter by ■ Wildlife observation. US Highway 264) in Hyde County, NC. ■ Photography. photo: USFWS photo: Natural History ■ Waterfowl hunting. ■ Most significant feature is an extensive coastal marsh which Calendar of Events includes the Swanquarter National January-December: fishing (best Wilderness Area. during spring and fall). ■ Concentrations of diving ducks November-January: Waterfowl (lesser scaups, redheads, hunting. buffleheads, surf scoters and Questions and Answers photo: USFWS photo: canvasbacks), sea ducks, American Are there alligators here? black ducks, wading birds and Yes, Swanquarter Refuge supports shorebirds. Wading bird rookeries, one of the northern most populations osprey nesting and colonial nesting of the American alligator. birds occur. What fish are commonly caught at ■ Habitat consists of irregularly Bell Island? flooded brackish marsh (13,200 Commonly caught species include acres) and forested wetlands (3,200 Atlantic croaker, spot, weakfish, acres). spotted seatrout, Atlantic flounder, Financial Impact of Refuge red drum and bluefish. ■ Staff: none (administered from Can I hunt waterfowl on Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Swanquarter Refuge? Refuge). A 6,120-acre area of marsh is open to ■ 50,000 visits annually. duck and coot hunting in accordance with applicable state and Federal Refuge Objectives regulations. ■ Provide habitat and protection photo: Ditto photo: for endangered species such as Bruce Freske, Refuge Manager American alligators. Swanquarter NWR 38 Mattamuskeet Road ■ Provide habitat and protection for Swan Quarter, NC 27885 migratory waterfowl and other Phone: 252/926 4021 birds. Fax: 252/926 1743 E-mail: [email protected].