Why It Matters: Hunting and fishing are integral components of many Southern states’ traditions. This is reflected in the legislature, where several states support firearm ownership and use, dedicated conservation funding, and several other pro-sportsmen measures to ensure that outdoor sporting traditions are protected for generations to come. However, there is still much more work to be done on behalf of sportsmen and women in the South. Here is a look ahead at a few big-ticket items, among many others, that we expect to see this year.
Highlights:
- In Louisiana and Mississippi, there will be continued efforts to identify dedicated conservation funding sources for the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program and the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
- Several states will work towards allowing state fish and wildlife agencies to be reimbursed for any lost revenue resulting from the issuance of free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses.
- Some states may consider updating their No-Net Loss baselines to further protect access for sportsmen and women.
From fabled duck hunting in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley to outstanding fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and everything in between, our outdoor sporting traditions make up the very fabric of the South. A critical aspect of maintaining these traditions is protecting and enhancing conservation funding through the American System of Conservation Funding and other funding mechanisms.
Dedicated conservation funding has been a hot topic in Louisiana and Mississippi for the past several years. After the passage of the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program and the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Program, where each have received appropriations from the legislature for critical conservation projects, there has been a concerted effort among various conservation partners and each state’s respective legislative sportsmen’s caucus to identify avenues of securing dedicated sources of funding for their programs.
Additionally, many states will be working to protect the American System of Conservation funding through establishing free license reimbursement frameworks. Every year across the country, many bills are introduced that aim to provide certain segments of the population with free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses. While well-intended, the passage of these bills can negatively impact conservation funding for state fish and wildlife agencies through direct revenue loss and the loss of federal matching dollars. Therefore, several states are looking to follow Tennessee’s lead requiring the legislature to reimburse their respective state fish and wildlife agency for lost revenue due to the passage of a new free or discounted hunting and fishing license.
In other states, such as Kentucky, we continue to see efforts that will negatively impact funding for conservation through bills that would exempt private landowners from having to purchase specific licenses, which further threatens the management of our public trust resources.
Lastly, maintaining access for sportsmen and women is critical to the continuance of hunting and fishing as much of the land in the Southeast is privately owned. No-Net Loss policies limit the loss of access to hunting and fishing on state-owned public lands by establishing a minimum acreage of publicly owned areas open to sportsmen and women, which ensures that future generations have the same opportunities tomorrow that currently exist today. In 2022, Georgia updated their No-Net Loss baseline to further protect 200,000 additional acres of public lands, and CSF will be working with sportsmen’s caucuses in several other states this year to follow suit.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) looks forward to continuing to work alongside the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses and our partners as we work to protect hunting and fishing opportunities in the South and across the country.
