BOARD UPDATE:

Bruce Culpepper Joins the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Board of Directors

Bruce Culpepper, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Regional Coordination for Shell in the Americas, was elected to serve on the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Board of Directors at the most recent CSF Board meeting in Washington, DC, last month. Bruce is a long time sportsman and advocate for sensible land and water conservation practices. He is also a member of the Center for Houston's Future Board of Directors, Board Member for Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, a Life Member and Committee Volunteer for the Houston Livestock and Rodeo, and represents Shell with various conservation organizations including Ducks Unlimited and the Coastal Conservation Association. To read more about Bruce click here. 

FEDERAL POLICY:

Public Comment Period Ends for the National Ocean Policy Draft Implementation Plan

On July 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13547, titled Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes, establishing what is now known as the National Ocean Policy. This policy was designed to promote conservation in our nation's waterways including the oceans, the Great Lakes, tributaries that lead therein, and the coasts surrounding these waterways. This is not a new concept. Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning initiatives have been implemented at the state level in several locations with mixed results. However, there are several key facets in the National Ocean Policy that may pose a threat to our sporting traditions as well as state conservation efforts across the country and are of concern to some Congressmen, including the Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Representative Doc Hastings as demonstrated in the letter he sent on April 2nd to Chairman Rogers of the House Committee on Appropriations. The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation has been working diligently to address concerns of the recreational fishing community about the National Ocean Policy, including the treatment of recreational fishing as a national priority through this initiative.

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, along with several other recreational fishing organizations,submitted an initial set of comments on the draft Implementation Plan on February 27, 2012. In a meeting with the Council for Environmental Quality, the groups were requested to submit a second set of comments, with more specific recommendations and exact language changes we would like to appear in the document. A second set of comments in response to this request was submitted on March 27, 2012.

Take Action: Stay informed on how the National Ocean Policy will impact your area. Click here to find out which Regional Planning Body will be implementing this effort in the waters in your state.

The Miami Herald Slams Recreational Fishing Organizations for Opposition to Biscayne Bay MPA

In an over-simplification of a complicated issue, the Miami Herald recently attacked what it calls "fishing lobbying groups" for their opposition to proposed closures in Biscayne National Park. These groups, including the Coastal Conservation Association, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the American Sportfishing Association, and the National Marine Manufacturers Association have in fact participated extensively in stakeholder meetings held by the National Park Service, producing alternatives supported by the commercial and recreational fishers, divers, scientists, and environmental representatives. Recommendations included more restrictive fishing regulations, species-specific spawning closures, and a mechanism to pay for improved enforcement and education of park rules and regulations. These alternatives were ignored by the Park Service. This rejection severed trust with the fishing and boating community and invited a more vigorous debate. In fact, South Florida Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and David Rivera are seeking a congressional hearing into public concerns about the Park Service's display of power. The Herald admonishes these elected officials not to "bully the National Park Service into capitulation." However, these officials are merely attempting to shed light on the process and highlight the voices of their constituents.

Rather than considering the input of stakeholders, the Park Service appears to have decided that it knows best, ignoring the public in the pursuit of its own notions of sound conservation. The Herald laments that "surely there is room for compromise" in this debate; it ignores the fact that it is the Park Service that has shut the public out of this process. Our community welcomes meaningful debate and discussion from the Park Service, but we will not stand by as they skirt years of stakeholder discussion and threaten significant boating and fishing closures in the largest marine park in the nation.

Take Action: If the National Park Service is able to successfully close Biscayne Bay to recreational fishing, they could begin to close other areas in parks near you. Please contact your Congressmen urging them to take action to stop the National Park Service from unnecessarily closing Florida's waters. Click here to find your Congressmen.

Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Site Visit to Sonoran Desert National Monument

Recreational shooting has long been considered a legitimate activity on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In a recent proposed management plan for the Sonoran Desert National Monument, the preferred alternative would include the closure of the entire 500,000 acre monument to recreational shooting. This is an alarming move by the BLM to exclude recreational shooting from this national monument under the guise of resource protection.

On April 10th, CSF President Jeff Crane will join some of his fellow members of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council on a site visit to the national monument in Arizona. The members of the WHHCC that attend will experience the monument firsthand and discuss whether a total exclusion of recreational shooting on the Sonoran Desert National Monument is necessary. The Wildlife Hunting Heritage and Conservation Council is an official advisory group which advises the federal government - through the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture - about agency activities that benefit recreational hunting and wildlife resources, and activities that encourage partnership among the public, the sporting conservation community, the shooting and hunting sports industry, wildlife conservation organizations, and federal and state governments.

CSF President Jeff Crane and Vice President Gary Kania Appointed to the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council

Jeff Crane, President of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), has been appointed by Department of the Interior Secretary Salazar to sit on the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council. Jeff has been working with the Council since 2005, which plays a key role in shaping national conservation policy through advising the Secretary on conservation and outdoor recreation issues. The Secretary has also named Gary Kania, Vice President of CSF, to be an alternate Council appointment. To read the full press release by the Department of the Interior, please click here. 

IN THE STATES:

Iowa - Sierra Club Sues over the Use of Traditional Ammunition

In response to two joint resolutions that would permanently rescind the ban on traditional ammunition during dove season, the Sierra Club has filed a suit against the constitutionality of the Administrative Rules Review Committee of the Iowa Legislature. Last year, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Commission included a provision in the new dove hunting rule that banned the use of traditional ammunition - a measure that was debated and soundly defeated by the legislature prior to the passage of the dove hunting bill. In response to the Commission's disregard to the legislative intent of the dove law, the Administrative Rules Review Committee (a joint body of both House and Senate in place since the late 70's) deferred the traditional ammunition portion of the dove hunting regulations until the legislature had time to consider the measure during the 2012 legislative session. Although the Iowa House and a Senate committee have passed the resolutions to permanently rescind the ban, the final action is awaiting an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. The Sierra Club suit is an effort to stall the decision or potentially have it overturned. For more information, please contact Chris Horton at: Chris@sportsmenslink.org.

New Hampshire - Further Restrictions on Lead Fishing Tackle Clears Senate

A bill (SB 224) is working its way through the New Hampshire Legislature presently which would further restrict the ability of recreational anglers to use lead fishing tackle. The bill, which passed the New Hampshire Senate on Wednesday March 28th, would more than double the current standard by making it illegal to use a lead jig measuring 2.5 inches or less. In 2000, New Hampshire became the first state to implement a ban. The primary concern surrounding the use of lead sinkers is the potential effects on waterfowl, like the loon, that ingest whole pebbles (or small lead sinkers) to aid in the digestion of their food. Although there have been documented individual loon deaths linked directly to lead fishing sinkers, there has been no documented evidence that lead fishing sinkers of any size have a detrimental impact on local or regional loon populations. In fact, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, loon populations are either stable or increasing across the nation. SB 224 will now travel to the House. Please contact members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and let them know you are opposed to further unwarranted restrictions on the use of lead tackle in New Hampshire. For additional information, click here or contact Brent Miller at: Brent@sportsmenslink.org.

New York - New York Sportsmen's Advisory Council (NYSAC) Created

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) is pleased to announce the formation of an Advisory Council which will provide support and guidance for the New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus. The recently formed New York Sportsmen's Advisory Council (NYSAC) is composed of leaders from the New York conservation community from throughout the state, including those representing the leading hunting, angling, shooting, and trapping organizations. The Advisory Council will provide support for the Caucus through serving as a readily available source of expert information on sportsmen's issues and by assisting with the planning and execution of Caucus activities, such as the New York Legislative Sportsmen's Breakfast held each spring. The newly formed Council brings together grassroots sportsmen's organizations, sporting goods manufacturers, and others, under one umbrella to work directly with legislators in the Caucus in an organized fashion. For additional information, please contact Brent Miller at: Brent@sportsmenslink.org.

Southeastern Region - Fishing Tournament and Raffle to Benefit CSF

NASC Southeast has partnered with The Central Florida Shootout - a unique charity tournament that recognizes the need for a voice for sportsmen in the fishing community. In addition to their original charity, Space Coast Intervention Center, this year The Central Florida shootout will benefit The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. You can help support CSFand enter for a chance to win a brand new boat package worth over $33,000! Just visit the Central Florida Shootout site and purchase a $40.00 Grand Prize entry ticket. For more information, please contact Jennifer Lundy at: Jennifer@sportsmenslink.org.

Western Region - Western Governors Association's (WGA) Get Out West! Advisory Group (GOWAG)

In February, CSF Western States Manager Andy Treharne was appointed to serve as a member of the Western Governors Association's (WGA) Get Out West! Advisory Group (GOWAG).  Initiated by Washington Governor and current WGA Chair Chris Gregoire, Get Out West! is designed to highlight the importance of outdoor recreation, conservation, tourism and volunteerism in the West.  Representing sportsmen on the GOWAG, Andy will continue to highlight hunting and fishing while working with stakeholders from the outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality industries to provide recommendations that will help guide WGA staff as they develop model programs and strategies designed to strengthen western economies by enhancing recreational opportunities and tourism throughout the region.  Over the coming months, the GOWAG will work to finalize their recommendations before presenting them to WGA in early June.For more information, please contact Andy Treharne at: Andy@sportsmenslink.org.

Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) 75th Anniversary

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, partnering with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), developed model resolutions and proclamations in early 2012 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program - a key component of the "user pays, public-benefits" American System of Conservation Funding. CSF has been working with National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC) member caucuses and Governor Sportsmen's Caucus (GSC) member governors across the nation to pass or sign these resolutions and proclamations. To date, resolutions have been passed in seven states (Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia) and Governor Beebe (Arkansas) has signed a proclamation. Many more resolutions and proclamations are expected in the coming weeks. For more information on the 75th Anniversary of the WSFR programs and the role that sportsmen and women play in funding critical conservation efforts that benefit the public at large please click here. 

UPCOMING CSF EVENTS:

CSF Breakfast Briefing

Please join the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation for breakfast a briefing to discuss the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. To learn more about the event, contact Phil Hoon at phil@sportsmenslink.org or (202) 543-6850 ex: 24 for more details.

CSF's Annual Congressional Shoot-Out and Industry Challenge