PrintAccess to well-managed, abundant game and fish populations is the cornerstone to the successful continuation of the American Model of Wildlife Conservation Funding.
When hunters and anglers find abundant populations of game and fish to pursue, they, in turn, purchase the licenses, firearms, ammunition, fishing tackle and motorboat fuel to indulge in their pastimes and provide the funding for the very management plans and ‘on the ground' activities that ensure those stable and sustainable populations. Understand the model, examine the opportunity of the North American Wildlife Policy Conference and realize how important access to places to hunt and fish affects the future of our outdoor traditions.
The American Model of Wildlife Conservation Funding
The American Model of Funding for Wildlife and Fisheries Management holds a unique position in the world. The American Model is the only program successfully funded through industry-paid federal excise taxes and license fees paid directly by sportsmen.
North American Wildlife Policy Conference
In 2008, the outdoors community has a once-in-a-century opportunity to craft a blueprint for the future of hunting and wildlife management to perpetuate our heritage and traditions into the lifetimes of our grandchildren yet to be born.
Access, "the right to enter" is the banner issue for CSF and NASC and the key that unlocks the abundant opportunities for the sportsmen of America. We are focused on access in the four key issue areas - Federal Public Lands; State Public Lands; Fishing waters and Private Lands.
Loss of access ranks as one of the top reasons hunters and anglers turn away from their pursuits and access to public and private lands and waters continues to decline. CSF and NASC are actively working on multiple fronts to ensure sportsmen are gaining ground on access.
Access to Federal Public Lands
The trail to identifying and obtaining access to federal hunting lands can sometimes be like hiking out of camp in the Rockies after a snowstorm. The trail is strewn with slippery slopes and unseen deadfalls. As rural lands across the country continue to disappear, access to federal lands will become increasingly important.
While CSF works in the concrete jungle of Washington, DC, we understand that sportsmen ‘back home' need access to places to hunt, shoot and fish. Equally as important to ensuring access to federal land, is maintaining access to state lands.
MPAs are established to purportedly protect threatened fish stocks and sensitive habitat within specified boundaries. The establishment of MPAs is increasingly leading to the creation of restrictive ‘no-take' Marine Reserves resulting in significant permanent closures for recreational fishing, especially in saltwater. Consequently, recreational anglers are being blocked out of miles of prime fishing areas.
With increasing urbanization and the selling of the family farms, new private landowners usually greet hunters seeking permission with an icy stare and a cold shoulder: CSF is focusing efforts at the federal and state level to warm up the hospitality of a reluctant host through legislation that provides tax credits and reduced liability.
State Fish and Wildlife Funding
As the nation's fish, wildlife and vital natural areas face ever-increasing pressures, greater public investment is needed to help fish and wildlife managers cope with these issues. Increasingly, state fish and wildlife managers face a daunting task of trying to manage their public lands and wildlife resources for a diverse group of outdoors enthusiast.
