Birdman
09-01-2004, 10:11 AM
Bush opening more lands to hunting and fishing
By John Heilprin
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said yesterday it will give people who
hunt and fish new access to hundreds of thousands of acres of lands and
streams within 17 national wildlife refuges and wetlands.
The decision as the Republican National Convention was opening in New York
was announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Asked if it might help
President Bush's re-election efforts, the agency's director, Steve Williams
said, "This is just another example of the president's commitment to
sportsmen.
"By law, Congress directed the service to consider and provide opportunities
for hunting and fishing where it's compatible on the refuges. We take that
quite seriously," Williams added.
Both Bush and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry have cast
themselves as sportsmen in campaigning for votes among hunters and
conservationists. Groups that promote hunting and fishing rights or habitat
for fish and game - such as the Boone and Crockett Club, Ducks Unlimited and
the National Rifle Association - claim millions of members.
Hunting and fishing have long been allowed in the 95-million-acre refuge
system, which includes 544 national wildlife refuges and thousands of small
wetlands and other specially managed areas.
Currently, more than 300 wildlife refuges and about 3,000 small wetlands are
open to hunting, and more than 260 wildlife refuges are open to fishing.
Yesterday's decision opens an additional 243,500 acres as of tomorrow,
wildlife officials said.
Federal officials opened four more national wildlife refuges to hunting and
fishing: Mountain Long Leaf in Alabama, 3,300 acres; Cypress Creek in
Illinois, 100 acres; Red River in Louisiana, 2,700 acres; and Waccamaw in
South Carolina, 10,500 acres.
Also opened were six more wetlands management districts: Devils Lake in
North Dakota, 56,000 acres; and in South Dakota: Huron, 11,000 acres; Lake
Andrews, 20,000 acres; Madison, 38,500 acres; Sand Lake, 45,000 acres; and
Waubay, 4,400 acres.
Seven refuges where officials added to the land and marshes available for
hunting are Savannah in Georgia and South Carolina, 2,000 acres; Big Oaks in
Indiana, 10,000 acres; Big Branch Marsh in Louisiana, 6,000 acres; Crescent
Lake in Nebraska, 5,000 acres; Cross Creek and Tennessee in Tennessee,
24,000 acres; and Trinity in Texas, 5,000 acres.
Officials said the agency was not adding money to the budget to help with
managing the additional activity in the newly opened areas.
Betsy Loyless, a vice president and lobbyist for the League of Conservation
Voters, called the decision a blatant attempt to sway voters.
"I do think politics are at play," she said. "The areas they've chosen play
to the base. What this means in terms of conservation is questionable."
Her group supports more limited hunting and fishing at the refuges, Loyless
said, adding that the administration's decision and other wetlands policies
put millions of acres at risk of being developed. "This is like a putting a
hole in the bucket and then saying you're going to fill it with a little
water, or a little wetlands," Loyless said.
By John Heilprin
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said yesterday it will give people who
hunt and fish new access to hundreds of thousands of acres of lands and
streams within 17 national wildlife refuges and wetlands.
The decision as the Republican National Convention was opening in New York
was announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Asked if it might help
President Bush's re-election efforts, the agency's director, Steve Williams
said, "This is just another example of the president's commitment to
sportsmen.
"By law, Congress directed the service to consider and provide opportunities
for hunting and fishing where it's compatible on the refuges. We take that
quite seriously," Williams added.
Both Bush and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry have cast
themselves as sportsmen in campaigning for votes among hunters and
conservationists. Groups that promote hunting and fishing rights or habitat
for fish and game - such as the Boone and Crockett Club, Ducks Unlimited and
the National Rifle Association - claim millions of members.
Hunting and fishing have long been allowed in the 95-million-acre refuge
system, which includes 544 national wildlife refuges and thousands of small
wetlands and other specially managed areas.
Currently, more than 300 wildlife refuges and about 3,000 small wetlands are
open to hunting, and more than 260 wildlife refuges are open to fishing.
Yesterday's decision opens an additional 243,500 acres as of tomorrow,
wildlife officials said.
Federal officials opened four more national wildlife refuges to hunting and
fishing: Mountain Long Leaf in Alabama, 3,300 acres; Cypress Creek in
Illinois, 100 acres; Red River in Louisiana, 2,700 acres; and Waccamaw in
South Carolina, 10,500 acres.
Also opened were six more wetlands management districts: Devils Lake in
North Dakota, 56,000 acres; and in South Dakota: Huron, 11,000 acres; Lake
Andrews, 20,000 acres; Madison, 38,500 acres; Sand Lake, 45,000 acres; and
Waubay, 4,400 acres.
Seven refuges where officials added to the land and marshes available for
hunting are Savannah in Georgia and South Carolina, 2,000 acres; Big Oaks in
Indiana, 10,000 acres; Big Branch Marsh in Louisiana, 6,000 acres; Crescent
Lake in Nebraska, 5,000 acres; Cross Creek and Tennessee in Tennessee,
24,000 acres; and Trinity in Texas, 5,000 acres.
Officials said the agency was not adding money to the budget to help with
managing the additional activity in the newly opened areas.
Betsy Loyless, a vice president and lobbyist for the League of Conservation
Voters, called the decision a blatant attempt to sway voters.
"I do think politics are at play," she said. "The areas they've chosen play
to the base. What this means in terms of conservation is questionable."
Her group supports more limited hunting and fishing at the refuges, Loyless
said, adding that the administration's decision and other wetlands policies
put millions of acres at risk of being developed. "This is like a putting a
hole in the bucket and then saying you're going to fill it with a little
water, or a little wetlands," Loyless said.