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JACKSON — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks announced Monday would be a Free Fishing Day for Mississippi residents. Anyone who is a resident can sport fish without a license that day.

Permits will be needed to fish State Park Lakes such as Bob M. Dearing Natchez State Park Lake.

Better safe than sorry

A reminder to those wishing to celebrate on the water, the MDWFP will be out in full force this weekend to bring awareness and enforcement of boating under the influence as part of Operation Dry Water.

People going across the river to celebrate July 4 on lakes in Louisiana should be aware the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are also partaking in Operation Dry Water.

“We take boating safety on Louisiana waterways very seriously and that includes our DWI enforcement,” Major Clay Marques, the state boating law administrator said. “We want everyone to feel safe on the water this Fourth of July weekend. That starts with having a sober operator of your vehicle.”

Alcohol can impair your judgement, balance, vision and reaction time. It can also increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion.

According to the LDWF, alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents accounting for 16 percent of all deaths on the water. Louisiana had 27 boating fatalities in 2021 with alcohol playing a role in eight of them.