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Commercial Fishing Guide Application Period

Commercial Fishing Guide Application Period Now Open

We are now accepting Commercial Fishing Guide applications from July 1 - July 31, 2024.  For more information or to apply please email swlrcomplex@fws.gov

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1937, is one of more than 560 refuges within America's National Wildlife Refuge System. Located eight miles south of Hackberry, on State Highway 27 in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, the refuge occupies the marshes between Calcasieu and Sabine lakes in southwest Louisiana. This area contains a diversity of habitat including freshwater impoundments, wooded ridges and levees, canals, ponds, lakes, and bayous. Some of the largest wetland management efforts in Louisiana occur at Sabine.

Visit Us

Located approximately 26 miles south of Sulphur, Louisiana, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge has numerous recreation areas where you can fish, crab or take a hike. Whether you are looking for an alligator to photograph or just a place to stretch your legs, the Wetland Walkway is always an adventure.

Learn more about our hunting regulations here: Southwest Louisiana Hunting Regulations

Learn more about our fishing and boating regulations here: Southwest Louisiana Fishing and Boating Regulations

Location and Contact Information

      Tours

      Auto tour

      Beginning about 26 miles south of Sulphur, Louisiana on State Highway 27 South, Sabine NWR includes several recreational areas accessible by car. Be sure to observe local traffic signs and laws, posted closures, and prohibited activities.

      The refuge and its roadside recreation areas may be accessed via automobile year round, from dawn until dusk, excluding posted closures

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge       is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species. 

      Our Organization

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
      Program
      Washington,DC

      Our Species

      The refuge was created with the primary goal of providing habitat and breeding grounds for migratory birds and waterfowl. The estuarine systems found in the refuge also provide habitat for a highly diverse community of other wildlife including several species of native fish, crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, and birds.

      Our Library

      Publications, photos and more that could be of interest to you about the refuge.

      Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex Hunting Regulations 2023-2024
      Name
      Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex Hunting Regulations 2023-2024
      PDF
      Southwest Louisiana NWR Complex Fishing and Boating Regulations
      Name
      Southwest Louisiana NWR Complex Fishing and Boating Regulations

      Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex Fishing and Boating Regulations 2023-2024.

      PDF

      Get Involved

      Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out our station's latest volunteer opportunities on volunteer.gov

      Volunteers and student interns provide much needed assistance with refuge programs.  They are often able to complete work that the refuge staff would be unable to do.  The hours, work assignments, and more are tailored to meet the needs of both the refuge and the volunteer or intern.

      Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts.  Learn more about our local partners.

      Partnerships are very important to help the refuge achieve its goals, objectives, and strategies, leverage funds, minimize costs, and bridge relationships with others.

      Youth Programs open the door to a potentially life-changing experience. If you land a student internship, a fellowship or a volunteer opportunity at a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge       , fish hatchery or other Fish and Wildlife Service site, you’re bound to come away with new insights and excitement about conservation.