Why It Matters: One of the key principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, the world’s most successful wildlife conservation model, is that wildlife resources are held in the public trust. At the core of this tenet is the Public Trust Doctrine, which established a trustee relationship for the government to manage fish,…
Why It Matters: Offshore fishing is an integral part of Georgia’s sporting heritage, and it also supports many coastal economies. Proposed federal regulations that limit the speed in which vessels can travel off the east coast gravely threaten fishing opportunities, economies, and the safety of boaters. These regulations were proposed without input from the recreational fishing…
Why It Matters: Senator Goodman stepping into this leadership role is important to the advancement of the Caucus as Senator Harper provided invaluable leadership to its success. From the mountains to the coast, Georgia features a robust assortment of hunting and fishing opportunities, and the bicameral and bipartisan Caucus serves on the front lines of…
Why It Matters: Red drum are a popular target for recreational anglers, many of whom travel from across the country to pursue these fish. Georgia currently has the most liberal red drum creel and vessel limits of any state in the South Atlantic region. These proposed changes are aimed at decreasing large individual catches and…
Why It Matters: Exotic invasive species that are kept as pets, such as the Burmese python, the Argentine tegu in Georgia, and others, are often released and can quickly become invasive to local and regional ecosystems. Once populations become established, many outcompete and otherwise cause serious damage to native wildlife populations. Highlights: On September 30,…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why It Matters: Conserving the land base open to hunting is critical to supporting Georgia’s outdoor heritage. While other states (such as Tennessee) have faced threats from state legislators attempting to transfer Wildlife Management Areas away from their respective fish and wildlife agencies, the Caucus and the Georgia General Assembly recognize…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Why it Matters: Georgia previously passed No-Net-Loss legislation which limits the loss of access to hunting opportunity by establishing a minimum acreage of state-owned areas open to sportsmen and women. HB 1349 would extend the baseline date from 2005 to 2022 from which the DNR managed state-owned lands acreage is…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: Hunting and fishing are critical aspects of Georgia’s cultural heritage. Establishing a new NPS unit could limit hunting and fishing access on thousands of acres, many of which are currently under the management authority of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The NPS is…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Highlights Why it Matters: Fish and Wildlife game species that are cherished by hunters and anglers are thriving thanks to the financial contributions of sportsmen and women. Unfortunately, the roughly $3 billion in annual conservation funding provided by sportsmen and women only goes so far. As a result, roughly…
Contact: Mark Lance, Southeastern States Coordinator Recently, Senator Tyler Harper accepted the leadership position of Senate Co-Chair for the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus). Senator Harper steps into this position with the retirement of National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council President and Senate Caucus Co-Chair Senator Bill Heath. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF)…
Contact: Clay Chester, Southeastern States Coordinator On June 25, the Georgia House of Representatives concurred with the Senate version of House Bill 998 that passed on June 23. Sponsored by Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) Member Representative Trey Rhodes, the legislation would extend the sunset date for the use of air guns until July 1,…
Nearly 50 bipartisan legislators and leaders from state fish and wildlife agencies from more than 25 states gathered in Greensboro, Georgia for the 16th Annual National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Sportsman-Legislator Summit. Hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), this year’s Summit theme was “Partners Advancing America’s Conservation Movement: NASC, Fish & Wildlife Agencies,…