Alright folks,
HB 161 is up for a hearing on January 22nd. This bill would be a disaster for public participation in wildlife decision making, eliminating the ability of FWP to actually know what citizens are thinking, and create a blackhole of unaccountability in state government that would essentially hand wildlife management over to bureaucrats and landowners. While the sponsor's intent isn't to do this, just eliminate the Human Dimensions program at FWP, the way the bill is written, it would essentially make your participation in season setting invalid, it would crater habitat acquisitions is a n adjacent landowner doesn't like the agency and it could stop conservation easements like Horse Creek from going through, if a landowner objects.
Here's the low down from former deputy chief of enforcement, Mike Korn:
HB 161
HB 161 seeks eliminate a wide range of public input and involvement in wildlife management. As it stands, it would violate numerous Montana laws requiring comprehensive input, participation in and consideration of, the public in agency decision-making including such basic responsibilities as season-setting, and fisheries management. It also would impede ongoing projects addressing issues like landowner-sportsman relations, native species restoration and addressing illegal fisheries introductions. It would violate the Public Trust by reducing agency decision-making for publicly held resources down to a very limited, narrow group of criteria and perhaps most importantly- participants.
• The “social” and “scientific” elements of the department’s work and the management of the state’s wild resources have been inextricably bound since 1864 when the first wildlife laws were passed by the Territorial Legislature. (Rancher Granville Stuart’s bill to require fish to be taken by hook and line only.)
• HB 161 cuts the entire public process out of resource management, attempting to make it simply a formula-based function, with only certain individuals and interests outside the department allowed to affect decisions.
• Many of the popular and important projects and wildlife opportunities we take for granted would, under HB 161 not have been possible.
o The Elkhorns elk season (HD 380) was initiated by sportspeople and the FWP. It currently has the highest number of people putting in for tags of any elk district in the state (over 9,000 applicants for 135 tags).
o In HD 401, the rifle season for both mule and whitetail deer ends two weeks prior to the end of the deer season in the rest of the state. This limitation was advocated by local residents to eliminate harvest during the rut.
o In areas where elk are over population goals, the fundamental means of addressing this is to increase the take of cows from the population. In areas such as the Crazy Mountains, which are heavily outfitted and public access is minimal, the scientific management solution would dictate significant cow hunting while placing strict limitations on bull harvest.
o Illegal introductions of non-native fish species in Montana’s waterways Canyon Ferry and sites in Western Montana (Flathead Lake and numerous streams and lakes) raises both scientific challenges and social issues which must be considered in any management efforts.
• Public access for hunting, fishing and recreation is essentially and fundamentally a social issue. HB 161 would eliminate this as a consideration in the efforts of the department to manage fish and wildlife. This would go counter to Block Management statute, Habitat Montana’s enabling legislation and others.
• Social science in general and the Human Dimensions program in particular provides an important link to public opinion and hence, support of FWP programs. It provides insight into issues the public views as important and connects efforts by wildlife agencies nationally.
• The public involvement of wildlife management is critical for landowners, hunters, anglers and the general public. Wildlife is a public trust, managed for all both currently inhabiting the state and future generations. Eliminating the public trust from our management is counter to our constitution, and our way of successfully managing wildlife for the last 150 years.
Get your comments in to the committee chair, vice-chair & sponsor here:
https://secure.everyaction.com/oK4V3uCEM0C97kaklEI9qw2?platform=hootsuite
