On April 18, 11 members from the California Congressional Delegation, including seven bipartisan members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, formally asked California Governor Jerry Brown to consider appointing members of the state’s outdoor sporting community to the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission). Leaders of the California State Legislature’s Outdoor Sporting Caucus also submitted a similar request in March.
In both letters, legislators encouraged Gov. Brown to appoint Commissioners who are active participants in outdoor sporting activities, including hunting and angling; strong advocates for science-based natural resource management; and understand the immense economic and conservation contributions that sportsmen and women make in California.
As the deliberative body that is primarily responsible for establishing hunting and angling related policy in California, it is imperative that members of the outdoor sporting community have a strong voice on the Commission.
Currently, there are more than 1.8 million hunters and anglers residing in California. Annually, the state’s sportsmen and women contribute upwards of $3.5 billion to the state’s economy, supporting nearly 56,400 jobs across The Golden State.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
