Why It Matters: Hunters now seem to be busier than ever and seek to take advantage of every free moment possible to participate in our time-honored traditions. For hunters in most states, that coveted time afield often occurs on the weekends with work and school occupying the weekdays. However, North and South Carolina remain among […]
Why It Matters: NOAA Fisheries has approved the latest round of exempted fishing permits (EFPs) for Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, giving eligible anglers an opportunity to fish for South Atlantic red snapper beyond the three-day federal season while testing new state-led data collection methods. The information gathered on fishing effort, harvest, and discards will […]
Why It Matters: Hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) remains a key focus of state fish and wildlife agencies and hunters alike. Hunters are the primary funders of science-based wildlife management through the purchase of sporting licenses, which is the backbone of the “user pays – public benefits” structure that is the American System of […]
Why It Matters: The South Atlantic’s recreational red snapper fishery has long been hampered by uncertainty surrounding estimates of recreational catch, effort, and discards. Three new Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) applications from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina offer an opportunity to address that challenge by pairing additional fishing opportunity in the month of October with enhanced, state-based data collection. If […]
Why It Matters: For over a decade, South Atlantic red snapper anglers have been trapped in a management system that routinely relies on federal recreational catch data that consistently misses even the National Marine Fisheries Service’s mark for useable data. This year, a state-led effort to collect more accurate and timely catch information through exempted fishing permits (EFPs) offered a […]
Why It Matters: As is with much of the country, turkey hunting continues to be wildly popular among hunters across the Southeast. Turkey hunting traditions run deep throughout the region, and the pursuit generates millions of dollars through the “user pays – public benefits” structure that is the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). From recruiting the next generation of […]
Why It Matters: Lack of access to quality hunting grounds is a leading barrier to participation for new and seasoned hunters alike. As populations grow and more pressure is put on wild landscapes, the demand for quality access to lands open to hunting has never been greater. Legislative efforts that ensure a no-net-loss of public hunting land are […]
Why It Matters: As newcomers recognize the many appeals that South Carolina has to offer, the Palmetto State continues to grow in population. With more people than ever on the landscape, finding access to quality hunting grounds will likely only become increasingly difficult. Thankfully, South Carolina offers a diverse array of public land hunting opportunities. Legislative efforts to ensure […]
Why It Matters: South Carolina, like many other southern coastal states, continues to see dramatic increases in new residents. Protecting access to quality public land hunting areas should be top of mind for policy makers in South Carolina, especially as populations increase and private land hunting opportunities become harder to come by. Efforts to establish a no net […]