On October 22, President Donald Trump and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced the nomination of Aurelia Skipwith to be Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Skipwith currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and is responsible for stewardship of national park and wildlife refuge system lands and waters.
“For the past year and a half while she served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary, I’ve come to know Aurelia Skipwith as a professional, a scientist and passionate conservationist, and I know she will be an incredible Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Secretary Zinke. “She has helped lead some of my top priorities for getting more people to enjoy our public lands, like expanding access for hunting and fishing, recognizing Urban National Wildlife Refuges, and designating sites on the African American Civil Rights Network. I look forward to her speedy confirmation.”
In addition, former Ducks Unlimited Chief Policy Officer Margaret Everson will be joining the USFWS as Principal Deputy Director in mid-November. Everson will replace Greg Sheehan, who left the USFWS over the summer to return to his home in Utah.
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds the Department of the Interior and Secretary Zinke for his nomination of Aurelia Skipwith as Fish and Wildlife Service Director, who has demonstrated strong leadership for the Department of the Interior’s land and water stewardship in her current position,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane. “We would also like praise Secretary Zinke for selecting Margret Everson as a leader within the Fish and Wildlife Service. We look forward to continuing to work with Aurelia and Margaret in their new roles.”
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?
