Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator The California legislature is considering a bill to protect at least 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030, which includes all terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. The management directive in this legislation is misguided and will have a detrimental impact on hunters and anglers through diminished public…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator There has never been a better time to get into hunting in California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is temporarily allowing new hunters to complete their education requirements entirely online. COVID-19 has restricted in-person gatherings, and an in-person class is part of the normal requirements for…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On April 23, a federal court in California put a halt to California’s ammunition background check requirements declaring, “Accordingly, the Court enjoins the State of California from enforcing the ammunition sales background check provisions” found in the California Penal Code. The Court’s grant of this injunction is a strong…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On April 13, California’s conservation community stepped up to the plate on behalf of hunters and anglers in the Golden State by advocating for inclusion of the sportsmen’s community’s priorities in the Fish and Game Commission’s (Commission) update of their strategic plan. The Commission has been operating under the…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On February 21, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) adopted an updated Delta Fisheries Management Policy and updated Striped Bass Policy to the displeasure of the recreational fishing community. The adoption of these policies was heard before the Commission and postponed from the August and December meetings by the Commission over…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator The Wildlife Traffic Safety Act (SB 395) passed out of the California Legislature and was signed into law by the Governor at the end of the 2019 session. SB 395 gained the nickname “the Roadkill Bill” because it would allow for the salvage of wild game meat from deer,…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On December 11, proposed updates to California’s Delta Fisheries Management Policy and Striped Bass Policy were once again before the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission). After hearing from the three expert scientists, one legislator representative, five industry representatives, including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s Western States Coordinator, Aoibheann Cline,…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On October 2, the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus hosted a legislative staff fishing trip on the Feather River, 60 miles north of the state Capitol. Staff spent the day fishing for fall run Chinook salmon, California’s last commercial and recreational salmon run which has experienced historic lows in recent years…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator AB 1254 would ban bobcat hunting in California until 2025, after which the state’s Fish and Game Commission would be authorized to reopen a bobcat hunting season after adoption of a bobcat management plan. When the bill was introduced, AB 1254 was an outright ban of bobcat hunting in…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On August 20, the California Legislature Outdoor Sporting Caucus hosted the 13th Annual End of Session Reception at Mayahuel, in downtown Sacramento. The event brought together legislators, legislative staff, California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff, NGOs and industry professionals to discuss sportsmen’s policy issues facing Californians before the…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On August 7, the California Fish and Game Commission considered the repeal of a Striped Bass Policy and a draft Delta Fisheries Management Policy. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter strongly opposing the Commission’s repeal of the Striped Bass Policy and encouraged California anglers to attend the…
Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator On Wednesday, August 7, the California Fish and Game Commission will consider the repeal of a Striped Bass Policy and draft of the California Delta Fisheries Management Plan. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter to the Commission opposing the repeal of the 1996 Striped Bass Policy. The…