On May 28, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a comment letter in strong support of the 2020-2021 station-specific hunting and sport fishing regulations proposed rule by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). This rule will provide a historic expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on 2.3 million acres at 97 national wildlife refuges and 9 national fish hatcheries.
Lack of access is often the primary reason hunters and anglers stop participating in the sport, and the letter applauds the Service and the Department of Interior for their efforts to ensure America’s hunters and anglers have ample opportunities for their compatible use of Service lands. As America’s original conservationists, hunters and anglers supported legislation that established the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration programs, which are funded, in part, by excise taxes on the equipment and fuels we use in hunting and fishing endeavors. It is important that we encourage hunting and angling participation in order to ensure we continue this American System of Conservation Funding.
The proposed rule to expand and enhance hunting and fishing opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and National Fish Hatcheries includes the following:
The public comment period closes on June 8.
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?
