By Bee Frederick, Southeastern States Director
On February 27, several wildlife conservation groups from the American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP), including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, sent a letter to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency supporting the proposed Importation of Wildlife Carcasses, Parts, and Products rule (number 1660‐01‐ 15‐.02) before the Commission.
The rule was proposed to proactively address the potential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease, which is spreading across the U.S. and most recently discovered in a wild white-tailed deer in Mississippi. Specifically, the proposed rule would expand the current ban on importation of wildlife carcasses, parts, and products from CWD-positive states and apply it to all carcasses or carcass parts taken from anywhere outside the state of Tennessee.
The letter states “The proposed Importation of Wildlife Carcasses, Parts, and Products rule (number 1660‐01‐ 15‐.02) is the result of a careful, diligent, inclusive, and science‐based process. Such duly‐considered state‐level policy is the proper and constitutional way to manage wildlife—a tradition that state wildlife commissions know firsthand. We urge you to uphold this proven and effective means of policymaking and adopt the rule without giving way to emotional arguments to the contrary.”
The rule passed unanimously on Wednesday, February 28.
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?
