Drought Threatens Future for Fishermen, Fisheries

A water crisis is looming, with sport fisheries and anglers as the likely losers, according to Jim Martin, conservation director for the Berkley Conservation Institute.

“It’s a problem that no one wants to talk about,” he said, pointing out that have of the continental U.S. now is under drought conditions.

“We have to start talking about it.”

Martin gave that message at a freshwater summit sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership during the recent Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla.

The country needs a plan to prioritize the use of water and to manage development, he said. And the sooner the discussion begins, the more influence that outdoor enthusiasts will have.

Once the crisis hits and recreational use of water is competing against agriculture, manufacturing and urban populations, the fishing industry won't have the votes to compete.

 "A hundred million sportsmen are going to be lost in the shuffle," he said.

Read more in Tulsa World. 

Anglers, Conservation Suffer Because of Dysfunctional D.C.

Score another victory for political gridlock in Washington, D.C., and this time anglers and hunters are the losers.

In an argument over procedure, the U.S. Senate failed to move The Sportsman’s Act of 2012 (S. 3525) forward. Vote was almost strictly on party lines, with Republicans responsible for this one.

Republicans support most of what the bill would do, but blocked the legislation because of objections about spending on conservation programs, which would violate budget rules. Democrats pointed out that the bill also would raise money.

“The shocking aspect of this bill’s defeat – one that would have such a positive impact on anglers, hunters and fish and wildlife conservation - is that it occurred over a budget argument giving the Secretary of the Interior the ability to increase the duck stamp price $10, thus pumping more dollars into wetland conservation for both fisheries and wildlife benefits” said Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).

“Adding salt to the wound is that the increase is strongly supported by waterfowl hunters who champion the user pay-user benefit concept for fish and wildlife conservation along with all sportsmen and women as well as the fishing and hunting industries,” said Robertson. “The Congressional Budget Office has stated that overall, S. 3525 would reduce the nation’s deficit by $5 million.”

“It’s a cruel twist that the Senate failed to move S. 3525 over a budget procedural question when in the end the bill adds to conservation and would most certainly have a positive impact on the nation’s economy,” he continued. “It would truly be a tragedy if this historic piece of legislation went down in flames due to partisanship and simmering disputes over Senate rules and procedures that have nothing to do with the merits of the bill.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership added this:

“With their backs up against the so-called fiscal cliff, elected officials from both sides of the aisle locked antlers again. American sportsmen are paying the price.

“Hunters and anglers are experiencing the fallout from congressional inaction as access dwindles, development diminishes opportunities for sportsmen and funding for conservation disappears.”

Read more from TRCP here.

Keep America Fishing shows you how your senators voted.

Here’s a news story about the vote.

Legislation Proposed to Increase Access for Anglers, Hunters

If you fish and/or hunt, you should express your support for the HUNT Act (H.R. 6086), recently introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. Go here for contact information.

The Hunt Unrestricted on National Treasures Act would direct federal agencies to inventory all public lands greater than 640 acres where hunting and fishing are legal but inaccessible, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) and National Wildlife Federation (NWF). It also calls for improving access and would finance land acquisitions from willing sellers through a small percentage of Land and Water Conservation Fund monies.

“Surveys conducted over the last few years show that, for the first time ever, access trumps Second Amendment rights as hunters’ No. 1 priority,” said John Gale, a NWF regional representative.

 “This important legislation by Congressman Heinrich will set a course that secures access to places like New Mexico’s iconic Sabinoso Wilderness while also ensuring the health of wildlife habitat and water quality.”

The funding provided for in the HUNT Act “gives the plan some legs” and means that hunters will see immediate impacts, he added.

“If passed, the HUNT Act will directly benefit millions of American sportsmen and the nation’s powerful outdoor recreation economy,” said Joel Webster, director of the TRCP’s Center for Western Lands.

“A recent poll of Western voters identifying as sportsmen shows that a majority supports upholding measures conserving clean air, clean water, natural areas and wildlife,” continued Webster. “And more than 9 in 10 agree that public lands are an essential part of their state’s economy. To this end, the TRCP and our partners remain dedicated to advancing efforts that enable conservation of and access to these invaluable public resources.”

Go here to learn more.

TRCP Critical of Proposed Cuts for Resource Management

TRCP photo

Proposed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives “would dramatically reduce critical resource programs and sharply curtail federal agencies abilities to responsibly manage public resources and outdoor opportunities,” according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP.

 “This misguided action by the House not only would roll back investments in conservation spending,” said TRCP President and CEO Whit Fosburgh. “It also undermines the foundation of our nation’s conservation policy. The bill wages a full-frontal assault on basic natural resources management measures that will cost us money and jobs, both in the near and long term.”

TRCP provides the following “lowlights” of cuts included in the bill: 

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service budget cut by $317 million
• BLM operations and maintenance cut by $39.6 million
• North American Wetlands Conservation Act cut by $13 million
• EPA budget cut by 17 percent
• Land and Water Conservation Fund reduced by 80 percent 
• State and tribal wildlife grants cut by $30 million
• Chesapeake Bay restoration funding cut by $7 million

 Read the full story here.

By the way, the proposed cut for EPA is regrettable, but certainly understandable, considering its abuse of power during this administration. Remember the Sacketts? Or how about the official who resigned after comparing his enforcement strategy to Roman crucifixion?

Conservation Profitable in Rocky Mountain West

Fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park from Fine Art America.

Conserving vast tracts of the Rocky Mountain West’s public lands has proven a wise investment, according to a report just released by Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development.

According to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), a member of that coalition, that conservation “has paid off in job, population, and income growth as fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation have diversified and helped sustain the economics of rural communities throughout the region.”

TRCP also said the following:

“Conserving Lands and Prosperity: Seeking a Balance Between Conservation and Development in the Rocky Mountain West” shows that areas with higher percentages of lands managed for conservation and recreation experience higher job and population growth and report higher per capita incomes than other areas.

The findings of the report, produced by Southwick Associates for SFRED, underscore the need to balance responsible development of public lands with conserving fish and wildlife habitat, valuable backcountry and the great Western landscapes that draw people from around the world, the sportsmen’s coalition said.

“The Southwick report validates the simple fact that conservation of wildlife and natural places not only enriches our souls, but our wallets as well, in terms of sustained job creation and financial abundance – and reliably so, when compared to boom-bust energy development,” said Jim Lyon, the National Wildlife Federation’s vice president for conservation policy.

The National Wildlife Federation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Trout Unlimited are lead partners in the sportsmen’s coalition.

The report includes a case study of Cody, Wyo., where about 10 percent of jobs are associated with fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing. Spending related to those activities generates an estimated $30.1 million annually, according to the report.

“Managing federal public lands for fish and wildlife diversity and abundance – as well as ensuring opportunities for quality hunting and fishing – are critically important practices that will attract sportsmen to rural areas and boost the economy,” said Ed Arnett, director of the TRCP Center for Responsible Energy Development.

 “In contrast to the boom-bust cycles of many other industries, the outdoor industry equals long-term, sustainable economic benefits. These new studies clearly demonstrate the power of sustainably managed natural resources and the economic impact of sportsmen.”