Contact: Brent Miller, Senior Director, Northeastern States and States Program Administrator
On February 25 the New York Senate adopted Senate Resolution 2793 (SR2793), sponsored by Senator Joseph Griffo and Co-Sponsored by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer. Sen. Griffo is the Senate Co-Chair of the bipartisan and bicameral New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Sen. Ranzenhofer is likewise an active Caucus Member.
SR2793 encourages Governor Cuomo to proclaim September 26 as Hunting and Fishing Day in New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Hunting and Fishing Day. For many years, CSF staff have worked across the nation to encourage Governors to issue such proclamations, but New York is one of the few states that has not done so. This Caucus-driven resolution further encourages the Governor to join with the 35 governors from across the nation who took an opportunity on National Hunting and Fishing Day last year to celebrate the present and historic role that hunting and fishing provide for the state’s economy, culture, and fish and wildlife conservation efforts.
As stated in the resolution, the “[New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s] Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources is funded primarily by sportsmen and women, through the American System of Conservation Funding – a “user-pays, public-benefits” approach that is widely recognized as the most successful System of fish and wildlife management in the world…” The resolution goes on to detail the many positive economic impacts that these time-honored traditions provide for the Empire State, and notes how they are “intertwined into every community… as shown by the millions of New Yorkers who participate in these activities year in and year out.”
“It is more important than ever to recognize the contributions that hunters and anglers make to the state’s economy and environment,” said Sen. Ranzenhofer. “National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations are a great way for New York to celebrate its sportsmen and women, and to attract new people who are interested in learning more about hunting and fishing. I was happy to work with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation to highlight this important day.”
CSF thanks Sen. Griffo and Sen. Ranzenhofer for their leadership on this issue, and for continuing to provide a strong voice in Albany on behalf of New York’s sportsmen and women.
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?
