|
TRCP News
Help the TRCP raise $150,000 in honor of T.R.'s 150th birthday.
- TRCP Sues Interior Department over Mismanaged Wyoming Energy Project
The TRCP recently undertook significant action on behalf of American sportsmen in its ongoing effort to maintain hunting and fishing on public lands threatened with irresponsible energy development. Multiple violations of federal natural-resources laws caused the TRCP to file suit against the Department of the Interior over the agency's mismanagement of energy development on the Pinedale Anticline natural gas development project in southwestern Wyoming.
Filed on June 18 in U.S. District Court, the TRCP suit contends that the Bureau of Land Management failed to implement “adaptive environmental management” and mitigation requirements as committed to in the decision documents for the project area, which encompasses approximately 200,000 acres of the Green River Basin in Sublette County, Wyo. The TRCP does not want to halt development in the Pinedale Anticline; it does support responsible energy development coupled with determined efforts to sportsmen's resources throughout the course of development activities.
Fish and wildlife populations in the anticline and surrounding area are world class, and the upper Green River area is a longtime destination for sportsmen. Approximately 100,000 big-game animals migrate through and seasonally use the upper Green River area, making it an American Serengeti. Mule deer, pronghorn, moose, sage grouse and other game use all or portions of the region throughout the year. The New Fork River and Green River, both exceptional trout fisheries, are within the project area and attract thousands of anglers every year.
|
|
|
Mountains overlook the wells of the Pinedale Anticline.
Photo credit: Cameron Davidson |
In formulating the plan for development of the Pinedale project eight years ago, the BLM committed itself and industry to processes that the agency concluded were essential to develop the region in an environmentally sensitive manner that complied with BLM obligations under federal law. The TRCP contends that these adaptive environmental management procedures, which attempted to address concerns regarding wildlife, air quality and water quality as they arose, have failed. The BLM violations have resulted in serious damage to wildlife populations in and around the Pinedale Anticline.
“The government points to the Pinedale Anticline project as a model of responsible development,” said TRCP President and CEO George Cooper. “But when we actually look at this fractured landscape and the shrinking wildlife populations, we see the effects of a model that is seriously flawed.”
The 2000 plan, or “record of decision,” for the Pinedale Anticline authorized development in an area that supports substantial populations of sage grouse and contains crucial winter range for one of the state's largest mule deer populations. The latter has declined by nearly half in the project area since development began. These species and other game found in the region offer some of Wyoming's best hunting and fishing opportunities.
The TRCP also contends that the BLM disregard of the adaptive environmental management process violates the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, laws meant to ensure responsible management of federal public lands. The suit notes that BLM decisions regarding development in the Pinedale Anticline consistently ignored current science on the impacts of energy development on populations of mule deer and sage grouse.
“Adaptive management, when properly applied, is an effective tool to address uncertainties in development projects,” said Dr. Rollin Sparrowe, a former federal biologist and lifelong hunter who lives near the project site. “But I have witnessed the decline of deer hunting opportunity in the Pinedale herd, and I watched the BLM ignore the relevant scientific data time and time again.
“Mule deer abundance in the project area has been cut in half since development in the Pinedale Anticline began,” continued Sparrowe, a TRCP board member and past leader of the Pinedale Anticline Working Group Wildlife Task Group. “Yet, incredibly, the BLM proposal for increased development ‘resets' the baseline for population numbers and actually uses these diminished numbers as the new ‘standard' against which future impacts will be measured.
“The BLM has blatantly disregarded its contract with the public,” Sparrowe stated. “As long as the agency can authorize development today, remove protections for wildlife later, and defer responsible wildlife management to a still-more-distant point in time, the value of our public lands – to hunters, anglers and anyone who appreciates the Rocky Mountains – will suffer.”
“The Bureau of Land Management must be held to the same standards of accountability as other federal agencies when it comes to following laws and honoring commitments to manage our natural resources,” said Steve Williams, president of the Wildlife Management Institute, TRCP board member and former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The BLM recently proposed expanded development of the Pinedale project, increasing the number of oil and gas wells from 700 to more than 4,000, adding new pipeline corridors and other infrastructure, and authorizing year-round drilling in sensitive game habitats. The TRCP action against the BLM is driven in part by the fact that the defective adaptive management process used to guide development in the project area is being heralded as a model for how similar projects on Western public lands should be managed in the future. This model has been proven not to work locally and should not be pursued elsewhere without consideration of the deficiencies identified by the TRCP.
“We need not accept the degradation of our public lands as an unavoidable consequence of energy development,” said TRCP Board Chairman James D. Range. “Requiring the BLM to follow legal, multiple-use management approaches will not prevent the extraction of oil and gas in Pinedale or any other place; it will mean extracting those resources only after a plan is established for development that maintains healthy fish and wildlife populations.
“Initiating legal action over this project was not an easy decision for the TRCP,” Range concluded. “Yet the Pinedale Anticline is an irreplaceable segment of the Rocky Mountain West. How can the TRCP claim to advocate on behalf of American sportsmen if we chose not to act now?
The TRCP believes that to better balance the concerns of fish and wildlife in the face of accelerating energy development, federal land management agencies must follow the conservation tenets outlined in the FACTS for Fish and Wildlife.
Learn more about the TRCP suit. Want to join other Hunters and Anglers working for Responsible Development?
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
- Coalitions Request Interior Action to Avert Sage Grouse Listing
On June 30, the TRCP and the North American Grouse Partnership formally requested that the Department of the Interior undertake landscape conservation measures for sage grouse habitats on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Sage grouse currently are being considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for protection under the Endangered Species Act. The TRCP and NAGP want the BLM to better manage sage grouse during energy development on federal public lands to avert an endangered listing of the popular upland game bird.
The TRCP and NAGP “petition for rulemaking” requests that the secretary of the Interior commit the BLM to utilize the best available information on the impacts of oil and gas development on sage grouse and alter agency management of sage grouse populations in areas currently being developed or planned for development. The groups propose an immediate evaluation of existing protections and management for the bird, an assessment of risks, and interim protections pending development of a better strategy.
“A pile of current, peer-reviewed science is being ignored, and it's costing us our grouse,” said Dr. Rollin Sparrowe of Wyoming, a TRCP board member and past president of The Wildlife Society with more than 40 years' experience using science in wildlife management.
Sage grouse populations historically encompassed vast expanses of the Rocky Mountain West; however, the species' abundance and distribution have declined precipitously. Energy development can have wide-ranging impacts on habitat use and survival of numerous game species, including sage grouse. Recent research on sage grouse has identified population declines with energy development activities. In particular, activity too close to sage grouse leks, or breeding sites, can result in permanent displacement.
"Sportsmen have an enormous stake in maintaining productive sage grouse populations, and an overwhelming body of scientific evidence demonstrates that measures currently employed by the BLM to manage our sage grouse populations during energy development are inadequate,” said TRCP Energy Initiative Manager and former federal biologist Steve Belinda.
If sage grouse are listed under Endangered Species Act, hunters would be first of many stakeholders to experience negative impacts due to the possible elimination or restriction of hunting opportunities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been ordered by the U.S. District Court in Idaho to revisit a 2005 decision that determined the bird was “not warranted” for protection. In its ruling, the court specifically focused on a lack of sufficient information about grouse management efforts by the BLM.
“By adopting the proposed recommendations, the BLM can play a unique role in sustaining populations of this iconic upland game bird,” said Ralph Rogers, executive director of the NAGP. “Half of the remaining sage brush habitat in this country lies on BLM-managed lands. The agency's ability to contribute – or fail to contribute – to sage grouse conservation is unprecedented and unparalleled.”
“Ultimately, we are asking the secretary to act now to conserve this bird under his management authority – before he has to resort to the Endangered Species Act,” said TRCP President and CEO George Cooper. “It can be done. And it must be done now, before it is too late.”
Read the TRCP petition.
The TRCP believes that to better balance the concerns of fish and wildlife in the face of accelerating energy development, federal land management agencies must follow the conservation tenets outlined in the FACTS for Fish and Wildlife.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
3. Supreme Court Reaffirms Right to Bear Arms
 |
|
Supreme Court building
Photo credit: Duncan Lock |
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a historic decision on gun ownership rights. In what is being called the "Heller Case," the high court has reaffirmed the Second Amendment individual right to keep and bear arms. A 5-4 majority struck down a prohibition on handguns in District of Columbia, which is likely to affect similar laws in other cities across the country. In its ruling, the court took care to note that hunting was covered by the scope of the Second Amendment.
The case represented the first time in more than two centuries that the court has issued a conclusive ruling on the issue. Read more about this issue.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
4. TRCP Helps Re-launch Marine Conservation and Saltwater Fishing Coalition
America's 13 million recreational saltwater anglers recently received a boost in their ongoing fight for better management of marine resources when the TRCP and several of its partner organizations re-launched the Angling 4 Oceans Coalition. The coalition will primarily focus on ensuring that implementation of the nation's foremost fisheries legislation, the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), is carried out in a manner that improves fisheries management and habitat protection in general and specifically for the benefit of saltwater recreational anglers. The coalition also will consider other issues of interest to saltwater angler-conservationists.
“When the coalition first convened several years ago to develop policy for the restructuring of Magnuson-Stevens, we were very successful in getting several angler-friendly provisions included in the bill,” stated Bob Hayes of the Coastal Conservation Association, a co-chair of the coalition. “Our intent now is to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service and make sure it delivers on the specific provisions in the act that are of greatest interest to recreational anglers – provisions that will benefit marine habitats and fisheries that represent some of America's greatest natural treasures.”
The reconvened coalition will give special attention to ensuring that the rules written for MSA implementation fall in line with the four SALT principles developed by the group during its previous campaign. These principles state that:
- Science must be used in marine fisheries conservation.
- Allocate fisheries resources more equitably to recreational anglers.
- License saltwater anglers to improve data collection and increase funding.
- Tackle used by anglers should reduce bycatch and not damage habitat.
 |
|
Two anglers enjoy a day of fishing. |
“Reauthorization of MSA was the critical first step in turning the tide in favor of our oceans and anglers, but there are many steps that still need to be taken,” said Ron Regan of the Association of Fish and Wildlife, also a co-chair of the A4OC. “The nation's 13 million saltwater fishermen need to remain engaged in the long and complicated processes flowing out of MSA reauthorization that lead to actual changes in management of our ocean resources.”
The Angling 4 Oceans Coalition brings together marine policy experts from across a broad spectrum of regions and specialties. Participating organizations include: the American Fisheries Society, American Fly Fishing Trade Association, American Sportfishing Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Berkley Conservation Institute, Billfish Foundation, Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited, Coastal Conservation Association, Coastside Fishing Club, Environmental Defense Fund, Federation of Fly Fishers, International Game Fish Association, Izaak Walton League of America, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, Sportfishing Association of California and United Anglers of Southern California.
“Recreational saltwater angling generates more than $30 billion annually in economic benefit, while at the same time supporting nearly 350,000 jobs," said George Cooper, president and CEO of the TRCP. "These are numbers that can't be ignored. Saltwater anglers spoke up loudly and made their collective voice heard in an unprecedented fashion when MSA was being debated. Thanks to their action and the actions of the groups that represent them, there are a lot of provisions in the new law that could lead to better fisheries and marine habitat management.
" Without proper implementation, however, all of the hard-fought battles won in MSA will be meaningless," Cooper continued. " The coalition will push to improve the availability and use of good science in the management of recreational species while also promoting sound conservation measures for their associated habitats and other marine species so that the benefits of a healthy marine environment can be experienced by all.”
To learn more about the TRCP marine fisheries initiative, contact Josh Voelker. Learn more about Josh in a story about new TRCP staff members below.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
5. TRCP Hosts "We Are Wetlands" Symposium in Tennessee
The TRCP is hosting a "We Are Wetlands" symposium for the lower Mississippi River states. Join us to discuss the future of America's wetlands and discover how you and your state can contribute to the conservation of this incredibly valuable resource.
When: Friday, Aug. 8, 2008 12 noon – 4:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
Where: Agri Center International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd., Memphis, TN 38120. The meeting will be held during the Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Mid-South Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza: http://www.tnwfhuntandfish.org/mid-south-hunting-a-fishing-extravaganza
Why: To learn about the TRCP wetlands initiative and discuss grassroots strategies designed to support legislation restoring our federal wetlands protections. Simply put, we are working towards federal wetlands protections because federal wetland protection helps all our missions.
 |
|
|
Along with our hunting and angler constituencies, the TRCP has teamed with environmental and clean water organizations in order to educate the President, Congress, the media and the public that Americans from all walks of life understand and demand strong wetland protections. From wildlife habitat to clean drinking water, wetlands provide a myriad of long-term benefits to the public health of Americans and wildlife of this great nation. Please join us in Memphis to discuss how all of us can work together to promote wetland protection because at the end of the day: We hunt ‘em. We fish ‘em. We eat ‘em. We drink ‘em. We need ‘em.
Please email Greg Holyfield at gregh@trcp.org with any questions and to RSVPs. Lodging for the event will be at the Comfort Inn and Suites, 7787 Wolf River Blvd., Germantown, TN 38138, (901) 757-7800, $79 K/ $89 DB per night (pending TWF rate).
In addition to our symposium in Memphis, the TRCP We Are Wetlands team is hitting the road in other locations to educate sportsmen on the need for restored wetlands protections and to promote the petition. Participants will also have the opportunity to win a brand new Benelli Nova shotgun.
Look for our booth this summer at the following events:
Tennessee Wildlife Extravaganza
Franklin, TN
July 18-20
http://www.tnwfhuntandfish.org/tennessee-wildlife-extravaganza
Great Outdoors Festival
Oshkosh, WI
Aug. 22-24
http://www.outdoorsbest.com/dugof/
Sign the petition now by visiting our website: www.WeAreWetlands.org
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
6. Donations from Orvis's "Roosevelt Collection" Reach $55,000 Mark
The TRCP has received $55,000 in donations from The Orvis Company resulting from the sale of the “Roosevelt Collection” clothing line.
Inspired by the ruggedness and flair of the original Rough Rider, the Roosevelt Collection debuted in September 2006. Extending its long record of commitment to conservation, Orvis has devoted a portion of the proceeds from every sale of a Roosevelt Collection item to the TRCP.
“When we looked to the past for inspiration for the Roosevelt Collection,” said David Perkins, Vice President of Orvis and a TRCP board member, “we saw that we needed to find ways to extend Theodore Roosevelt's conservation legacy in the future. The TRCP is an organization committed to this very goal, and we are very happy to do anything we can to support its efforts.”
“As our young organization has grown so rapidly, Orvis has been a constant booster, often challenging itself to find new ways to support our efforts,” said TRCP President and CEO George Cooper. “The Roosevelt Collection is testament to the company's steadfast dedication to the stewardship of America's fish and wildlife.”
Sales of the Roosevelt Collection continue via the Orvis website and catalogs.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
7. TRCP Steps Up Push on Roadless Area Management in Colorado
Since April 2007, the state of Colorado has been busy working with the federal government to develop a plan for the future management of Colorado's 4.4 million acres of national forest roadless areas. The TRCP is making sure that Colorado roadless area management considers the interests of sportsmen and sustains the future of fish and wildlife in this great Western state.
Colorado offers both residents and visitors a range of unique outdoor recreational pursuits and is one of the only states to offer over-the-counter elk tags to non-residents. Colorado's roadless areas – more commonly known as backcountry – provide large, contiguous blocks of exceptional habitat for big-game species such as mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goats. These areas also comprise the least degraded areas for trout and other fish species that depend on clean water, stable streamflows and consistent lake storage.
The TRCP roadless initiative has been stepping up efforts to work with local Colorado hunting and fishing groups and individuals to empower local sportsmen. Aiding us in this endeavor to help guarantee the future of the Centennial State's hunting and fishing traditions is Colorado Field Representative Jason Sorter. Jason has more than 13 years of government relations and grassroots advocacy experience, is a third-generation Coloradan and loves to hunt and fish.
 |
|
Some Colorado roadless area not far from Glenwood Springs |
During this period of flux in Colorado backcountry management, maintaining quality places to access must be a priority for the sportsmen's community. Roadless areas are critical to the future of hunting and fishing in Colorado. You can rely on the TRCP to ensure that our values, including responsible administration of federal public lands and common-sense conservation measures for fish and wildlife populations, are represented in the ongoing dialogue over backcountry management – both in Colorado and across the Rocky Mountain West.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Please contact Jason Sorter, Colorado field representative, at jsorter@trcp.org or Joel Webster, initiative manager, at jwebster@trcp.org.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
8. TRCP's Life in the Open and TRCP's Escape to the Wild Honored with Awards
 |
|
LITO host Ken Barrett pauses for a photo after a hunt. |
Both TRCP's Escape to the Wild and TRCP's Life in the Open were recognized with prestigious Excellence in Craft awards at the recent Outdoor Writers Association of America conference in Bismarck, N.D. The national awards recognize writing, photography, radio and television that communicate the highest ethical and communications standards, messages about conservation of natural resources and mentor for the next generation of professional outdoor communicators.
TRCP's Escape to the Wild achieved awards in three separate categories: first place was awarded in the Fishing category to an ETTW Costa Rica sailfish episode, third place in the Big Game category for a Texas whitetail episode, and third place for the Humor category for a Canadian moose episode.
TRCP's Life in the Open took second place in the Value of Wilderness category for an episode featuring Montana whitetail and Kansas quail. LITO also took third place in the Fishing category for a Wyoming trout episode. TRCP's Life in the Open highlights many of the outstanding hunting and fishing opportunities found on America's public lands and waters and the critical responsibility we all share in conserving these valuable resources.
Both shows are produced by Orion Multimedia and air on the VERSUS network. "It's truly an honor that our hard work and dedication is recognized by a group such as the OWAA," said Orion President Chris Dorsey.
Congratulations to everyone involved with TRCP's Escape to the Wild and TRCP's Life in the Open.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
9. 75th Anniversary Duck Stamp Debuts
The first 75th Anniversary Federal Duck Stamp was sold to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall during a special ceremony hosted last Friday by Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, near Baltimore, Md. Minnesota artist Joseph Hautman's depiction of a pair of Northern pintails was selected to grace the stamp.
In 1934, Postmaster William Mooney sold the very first Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, popularly known as the Federal Duck Stamp, to J. N. "Ding" Darling. Darling was the first Federal Duck Stamp artist and also served as director of the U.S. Biological Survey, the forerunner of the USFWS. Every year since, the first Duck Stamp sale has been made to the USFWS director in an event that has become an eagerly anticipated tradition. Bass Pro Shops sponsored similar First Day of Sale events at many of its other 44 retail stores located throughout the country.
 |
"It's an honor to be the first in line to buy this stamp and help contribute to this unique wetlands conservation program," said Hall. "I'm proud to carry on the tradition started by Ding more than 75 years ago. Now more than ever, our nation depends on healthy wetlands and clean water for conserving waterfowl populations and ensuring healthy and safe communities. Purchasing this little stamp reaps huge dividends for our nation.
All waterfowl hunters aged 16 years and older are required to purchase and carry in the field the current Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp, but conservationists, stamp collectors and others also purchase the stamp and support habitat conservation. Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which supports the acquisition of wetland and associated upland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. To date, Duck Stamp funds have been used to purchase habitat at hundreds of refuges located in nearly every state in the nation. These refuges offer unparalleled recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.
The 2008-2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp also went on sale at the event. Eighteen-year-old Seokkyun Hong of Dallas, Texas, was the winning artist, and his depiction of a pair of nene (Hawaiian goose) is featured on the stamp. Proceeds from Junior Duck Stamp sales are used to support environmental education efforts and awards for contest winners
Duck Stamps can be purchased at hundreds of post offices across the country, as well as major sporting goods stores that sell hunting and fishing licenses. For information on other Federal Duck Stamp products and buying options, please visit: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/stamps.html
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
10. TRCP Welcomes New Staff Members in D.C. and Nashville
 |
Josh Voelker (left) and friends after a day in the field |
Josh Voelker, marine fisheries initiative manager, came on board in May 2008. Prior to working for the TRCP, he worked for the Chesapeake Bay Program and Ducks Unlimited. Growing up on Maryland's Eastern Shore, his passion for fishing was cultured while working on charter boats and at marinas. Josh holds degrees in history and political science from Clemson University in South Carolina. Josh has since returned to the
E astern Shore of Maryland, where in addition to fishing, he is an avid waterfowl hunter.
Contact Josh at jvoelker@trcp.org.
 |
Julia Allen in Rocky Mountain National Park |
Julia Allen joined the TRCP as the sponsorship coordinator for the Union Sportsmen's Alliance in Nashville, Tenn. She will help facilitate the development and fulfillment of corporate partnerships in support of the USA. Julia earned her bachelor's degree in mass communications from Belmont University. Previously, she held the position marketing director for Re/Max Elite Atlas Marketing Group. She has worked in marketing, sales and promotions for many years with her family's hunting and fishing business, Game Fair Ltd, and has been around hunting and fishing her entire life. Julia especially enjoys sporting clays, trap, skeet and fly fishing.
Contact Julia at jallen@trcp.org.
 |
Sara Gabbard after a successful
day of duck hunting |
Sara Gabbard joined the TRCP as the USA communications associate in June 2008. Previously, she worked as outreach coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) in Nashville. While at TWF, Sara helped increase participation in The Scholastic Clay Target Program and Hunters for the Hungry. A native of Lexington, Tenn., she received her bachelor's degree in public relations from Middle Tennessee State University. Sara is an avid outdoorswoman and enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking and camping.
Contact Sara at sgabbard@trcp.org.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
A big thanks to everyone who sent in an answers to last month's T.R.ivia question. Congratulations go to our May winner, Randy McCloud, who will receive a TRCP shirt. Randy was the first person to correctly identifiy what is on the Roosevelt family crest - three roses on a thorny bush growing from a grassy hill with three ostrich plumes above. In Dutch, Roosevelt means "field of roses." Thus, the family coat of arms represents a rose bush in a green field.
The motto "Qui Plantavit Curabit" translates to
"He who has planted will preserve."
Email your answer to this month's question to bblodgett@trcp.org for your chance to win
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
Updates from TRCP Partner Organizations - News from the National Conservation Community
|
American Fisheries Society
Register for the AFS annual meeting in August. More>>
|
 |
|
American Sportfishing Association
Read the latest ASA Policy Watch. More>> |
 |
|
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Registration is open for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' annual meeting to be held September 7-12, 2008 in Saratoga Springs, NY. More>> |
 |
|
BASS/ESPN Outdoors
In Louisiana, 41 national and statewide fishing and boating organizations filed an amicus brief with the U. S. Supreme Court in support of the public's right to fish and boat on the navigable waters of America, including the Mississippi River. More>> |
 |
|
Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited
BTU-supported tagging research is generating some interesting results; 6,617 bonefish have been tagged in Florida, and two have been recaptured in the Bahamas. More>>
|
 |
|
Coastal Conservation Association
The CCA is calling for Atlantic harvest levels of bluefin tuna to be reduced to levels supported by science. More>> |
 |
Delta Waterfowl
Tighter scaup harvest limits are being examined by federal regulators. More>>
|
 |
|
Ducks Unlimited
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne reappointed Ducks Unlimited to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. More>> |
 |
|
Federation of Fly Fishers
Conclave 2008 will be held in July in Whitefish, Mont. More>> |
 |
|
International Game Fish Association
Check out the conservation section of the IGFA website.More>>
|
 |
|
International Hunter Education Association
IHEA responds to a North Carolina school clash over a shooting competition. More>>
|
 |
|
Izaak Walton League of America
Come to the Izaak Walton League of America's national convention in July. More>> |
 |
|
Mule Deer Foundation
In April, the Kemmerer, Wyo. chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation hosted its inaugural event. More>> |
 |
|
The Nature Conservancy
New research highlights urbanization's global impact on biodiversity and natural resources, indicating that by 2030 expanding urban areas will fill an area the size of Texas. More>> |
 |
|
North American Grouse Partnership
Learn more about the Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan. More>>
|
 |
|
Pheasants Forever
National wildlife refuges more than make up for their cost to taxpayers by returning about $4 in economic activity for every $1 the government spends, according to a federal study. More>> |
 |
|
Quail Forever
The USDA recently released the Fiscal Year 2007 report on the nation's largest private lands conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program. More>> |
 |
|
Quail Unlimited
A new CRP program helps wildlife in north Georgia. More>> |
 |
|
Quality Deer Management Association
Top experts will offer new techniques and new research on food plots and habitat improvement for QDMA members and the public attending the national convention, July 24-27 in Chattanooga, Tenn. More>>
|
 |
|
Trout Unlimited
Watch the Red Gold trailer. More>> |
 |
|
Trust for Public Land
A special print run of Bradley Stevens' art will benefit TPL. More>> |
 |
|
Whitetails Unlimited
Whitetails Unlimited is offering two exclusive items available via sealed bid auction on their website. More>> |
 |
|
Wildlife Management Institute
Seasons' End, a climate change report for sportsmen, is available now. More>> |
 |
|
The Wildlife Society
Read the latest issue of Wildlife Policy News. More>> |
 |
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
Featured Conservation Leader
Aaron Adams, Director of Operations and Research, Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited
Can you please tell us a bit about Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited?
BTU is a non-profit organization that was developed to support research, education, and conservation of bonefish and tarpon. At the inception of BTU in 1998, little data existed on bonefish and tarpon, two of the world's most popular saltwater gamefish. While more is known today about these species, and more is being learned each year, our knowledge is still insufficient for effective management and conservation.
One reason BTU is so effective is that we depend on membership to support the research, so BTU is truly grassroots. BTU membership is made up of recreational anglers, guides, and marine industry leaders who share the vision of ensuring that bonefish and tarpon fisheries are healthy for future generations.
BTU's mission is:
• To support education, conservation, and research to help understand, nurture and enhance healthy bonefish and tarpon populations.
• To nurture and enhance the bonefish population, initially in the Florida Keys, eventually expanding our horizons globally.
• Serving as a repository for information and knowledge related to the life cycle, behavior and well being of the species.
• Supporting research and gathering information related to the condition of these fisheries, as well as their behavior and life cycles.
• Providing educational material to the public and fishermen.
• Working with regulatory authorities and the public to insure that the laws protecting these species are enforced.
• Interacting with government agencies to assist in the management and regulations related to bonefish and tarpon.
Who got you involved with hunting and/or fishing? When?
My parents are responsible for getting me interested in fishing. One of my earliest memories is from when I was 5 years old, when I caught a 5-pound bullhead catfish. When I was young, my family went camping frequently, often on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where I fished the coastal rivers and ponds for bass and bluegill. In later years, they also helped me buy a small aluminum boat that I used to fish on a local reservoir for bass, bluegill, crappie, and other freshwater species. We also fished and crabbed in the nearby Chesapeake Bay. My uncle was also important – he was quite an avid and excellent fisherman, and he taught me a great deal about fishing.
What is your most memorable experience afield?
 |
Atlantic tarpon
Photo courtesy: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
There are many memorable experiences, most involving the experience and people as much as the fishing. You can read the full text of one such adventure called Tarpon Moon at http://www.fishermanscoast.com/writing/tarpon%20moon.html.
What do you think are our most pressing conservation issues today?
The most pressing conservation issue today is the loss and degradation of habitats. Without healthy habitats, there can't be healthy fisheries or wildlife populations, no matter what other management measures are taken.
For many fish species, the decline in populations has been blamed on overfishing, and this is often the case. However, in many cases it is becoming evident that loss of habitats, especially juvenile (nursery) habitats, is at least as important to the lack of recovery of fish populations. The loss of habitats is especially troublesome for long-lived species because the populations may be dominated by older fish, and as these fish begin to die off the populations will decline because so few juveniles are surviving due to habitat loss. By the time we realize the problem, we are years (decades in the case of tarpon) behind in conservation. Preventative medicine (making sure the habitats remain intact and healthy) is far more effective that emergency room care (i.e., restoration) which may or may not work.
What is your approach to facing conservation challenges?
The first need is knowledge. We know little about many recreational fish species. As a matter of fact, our knowledge of many fish species, including commercial species, is inadequate. Our knowledge of habitat requirements for the different life stages of many fish species is insufficient for effective conservation and management. The second need is education, especially in saltwater. In terms of knowledge about the environments in which they fish, saltwater fishermen are many years behind their freshwater counterparts. Fly fishermen targeting trout know which prey are eaten by trout, and when. Bass fishermen are well-versed in bass behavior, diets and habitat needs. These fishermen also understand that healthy habitats are needed to support their fisheries. In the world of saltwater fishing, most fishermen don't know their gamefish as well and are poorly educated about the coastal habitats that support the fisheries.
For example, in Florida, most recreational saltwater fisherman don't know that juvenile snook depend upon mangrove creeks as nurseries, and without these creeks the fishery won't survive. Yet most snook fisherman are not actively involved in efforts to protect the remaining mangrove habitats (Florida has already lost approximately 50 percent of its mangroves). Since fisheries management now involves more participation from fishermen, it is essential that these fishermen become knowledgeable about the ecology of coastal areas so they can make educated contributions. Educated fishermen are more likely to be responsible conservationists. In many respects it doesn't matter which species a fisherman targets because any particular coastal habitat supports many different species, so a conservation-oriented fisherman is good for all species.
Why are you involved with the TRCP?
The TRCP understands the relationship between healthy habitats and healthy fish and wildlife populations. This is an important step toward effective conservation. The TRCP is also actively involved in casting a wide net to include a diverse collection of organizations and companies that are part of fishing, hunting, and fish and wildlife conservation. Too often, groups with similar goals operate in parallel rather than in concert. One of BTU's string points is that we strongly support collaboration toward conservation goals – we are not concerned about who gets credit, but that the job gets done. The TRCP fits well with BTU's mission and approach. I am also hopeful that the TRCP helps to bring more exposure to BTU and BTU's mission.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
Bookshelf
Fool's Paradise by John Gierach
 |
Fool's Paradise chronicles the fishing life in all its glory (catching your biggest fish ever) and squalor (being stranded in a tent during a soaking rainstorm). In Gierach's world, both experiences are valuable, and both evoke humor and insight.
Musing on the enduring appeal of fishing, Gierach theorizes, "We're so used to the fake and the packaged that encountering something real can amount to a borderline religious experience." Equal parts fishing lore, philosophy and great fish stories, Fool's Paradise may not be a perfect substitute for actually being out on the water, but it's close.
For more information, please click here.
|
Currituck: Ducks, Politics & Outlaw Gunners by Travis Morris
In this insider account, Currituck native Travis Morris takes readers into the blind and regales them with stories of powerful men and their guns in a bygone era when duck hunting clubs flourished and featured prominently in local politics, neighbors feuded over duck hunters rights and interloping men of industry swept in to build lodges. Senators, governors and presidents came, and these are the untold stories of their hunts. From the duck hunting vacation that John F. Kennedy planned but never took to Kerr Scott's apple-flavored tobacco, Morris and friends expose the guileless and the guilty alike in this lighthearted collection.
For more information, click here.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
Photo Gallery
Check out How Your Fellow TRCP Partners Fared this Season
|
Trout Unlimited's Keith Curley pauses for a photo with an impressive Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
|
 |
View the rest of the TRCP Partner Photo gallery here.
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
Roosevelt Reflections
The Grizzly that Nearly Got Theodore Roosevelt
by Ken Barrett
 |
|
A grizzly in Yellowstone National Park.
Photo courtesy: the Whitehouse |
In The Wilderness Hunter, Theodore Roosevelt writes, “On the whole, the danger of hunting these great bears has been greatly exaggerated.” A paragraph later he writes, “Still, when fairly brought to bay, or when moved by a sudden fit of ungovernable anger, the grizzly is beyond per-adventure a very dangerous antagonist.” One can't help but admire his use of descriptive language.
Most of his chapter on grizzlies is then filled with stories of bears with “ungovernable anger,” who are “dangerous antagonists,” though, in fairness, these are stories of other's experiences - except for one. With the rare exception of an individual moose, black bear, wild hog or mountain lion, grizzlies are North America's only real dangerous game. Since Lewis and Clark first encountered them on their way west, they have loomed large in our collective imagination, and often enough in our stories, to secure a permanent place as an icon of the American wilderness.
Today, these great bears are no longer hunted in the lower 48 states, only in parts of western Canada and in their last
 |
|
Grizzly tracks in Alaska.
Photo courtesy: National Park Service |
great stronghold, Alaska. But when Teddy was an adventurous young man, and for many years after, the grizzly was commonly hunted in the rugged mountains of the Rockies. While T.R. killed more than one, the one whose paw “made a vicious side blow” at him was the one he remembered above all his trophies.
In 1889 T.R. went hunting with an old trapper, mountain man and guide in the Bitterroot Mountains, on the border of Montana and Idaho. The old man proved to be “disagreeable.” When the teetotaling Teddy found the old boy drunk on liquor T.R. carried for emergencies, he was furious, and promptly left him to hunt on his own. That first evening after setting a camp, Theodore went in search of a grouse for supper, but instead encountered a big grizzly. The first shot set the bear running downhill, whereupon the nimble Teddy intercepted him and hit him again. The bear then turned and charged him. He shot a third time and though he hit the bear, it continued toward him seemingly unfazed. He had time for one last shot, and with the bear only yards away, he aimed and pulled the trigger, but then saw the bear appear though the smoke left by the shot. Leaping sideways, the future president barely escaped the bear's paw. Before he could reload, the bear - hit all four times - expired nearly at his feet.
The man who would charge San Juan Hill a decade later wrote of the bear, “The beauty of the trophy and the memory of the circumstances under which I procured it make me value it perhaps more highly than any other in my house.”
| Back to Top | | Go to TRCP Home Page |
|
|
