MARQUETTE – Beaver and otter trapping seasons in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula have been extended by two weeks through April 30 for trappers who already have traps set for those species.

The change, involving beaver and otter Units A and B, will allow trappers more time to retrieve their traps and any beaver or otter they may have caught, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.

Heavy snowfall over the past several weeks, along with frozen wetlands and now rising waterways, has reduced the ability of trappers to complete their activities.

Springtime beaver trappers often target areas where beaver have the potential to cause damage to property, roads or other infrastructure. The two-week extension will aid trappers working to reduce the potential for beaver-related damage this spring.

The extension applies to any licensed resident fur harvester with traps set prior to, or on, April 15 in Units A and B. Trappers may also continue regular beaver and otter trapping activity on Upper Peninsula designated trout streams through April 30.

Otter registration requirements, including registration deadlines, still apply.