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| A bill to outlaw polar bear hunting......introduced by our (WA) Rep. |
| (1/4) > >> |
| billythekidrock:
Bill Introduced in Congress to Ban Polar Bear Hunting Sportsmen campaign against measure May 16, 2007 (National) (Columbus) – A bill to outlaw polar bear hunting yesterday was introduced before Congress. Sportsmen are campaigning against the measure that will wipe out the programs that provide the principal revenue for polar bear conservation. On May 15, Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Washington, and Frank LoBiondo, R-New Jersey, introduced HR 2327 to repeal an exemption within the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which allows sportsmen to hunt polar bears in Canada and return trophies to the United States. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the nation’s premier sportsmen’s advocacy group, helped establish the exemption in 1994. Polar bear numbers are at an all-time high, and the overall population is considered healthy by wildlife professionals. “From a conservation standpoint, there is no reason to stop polar bear hunting – it’s all politics," said Rick Story, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance senior vice president. "All we are seeing is an early salvo in the war to outlaw the taking of all wildlife. If the federal government can amend the law to stop polar bear hunting for no good reason, then it and state governments can do the same thing with deer, turkeys, elk, you name it. All it takes is enough pressure, and we say it’s time to fight back.” The bill will bring Canada’s successful polar bear conservation programs to a screeching halt, as essential funding from hunting programs will immediately fall off. American sportsmen account for approximately 80 hunts per year, which means more than $2.4 million annually into polar bear research, conservation and native communities in Canada. Canadian polar bear populations are stable and increasing, but if U.S. citizens are shut out of these hunts, a primary funding source for polar bear management will be eliminated and the now-healthy bear populations will be at risk. Anti-hunters support HR 2327 despite the fact that it will eliminate crucial conservation funding. “The anti-hunters are willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” adds Story. “They are not interested in what is best for wildlife, which would be the continuation of the hunting programs. Their goal is a hands-off approach to wildlife management, and they want hunting banned no matter what the cost.” In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed to list polar bears, including Canada’s stable and increasing populations, as federally threatened. The service offered the proposal to appease environmental groups over potential global climate change and shrinking Arctic sea ice, but ignored the science that shows polar bear populations are at historic highs and that there are no imminent threats to the healthy, huntable populations. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance opposes the listing. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance urges hunters and supporters of sound conservation practices to oppose HR 2327. Contact U.S. representatives today and ask them to protect sound scientific wildlife conservation and polar bear management, oppose HR 2327. Call (202) 224-3121 or use the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org. |
| Michelle_Nelson:
Ok correct me if I am wrong. they are going to continue hunting polar Bears but the U.S.A wants to stop Americans from hunting them? |
| Ray:
It's no shock to me that Jay Inslee is behind this. They seem to be the sort of people who have never seen real wildlife in it's natural habitat but only inside zoos or on the discovery chanel. I'll write his office and expect no response just like the last 4 times. Even though he supposedly represents my sector. |
| brush hunter:
PolarBear hunting? I've seen some of his post here, but I didn't know we could hunt him. ;) Seems like a nice guy, I'll go see if I can get a tag. |
| Ray:
Mr Inslee's repsonse to my letter (which I lost somewhere): --- Quote --- Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about the Polar Bear Protection Act (H.R. 2327). I appreciate your thoughtful letter and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. First, I want to clearly convey that I am not opposed to hunting and I greatly respect the sport in regards to populations of species that are abundant and healthy; however, the polar bears' survival is in question as global warming threatens the sea-ice habitat of which they are dependent. Last year, the U.S. Department of Interior proposed to list polar bears as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act and Secretary Kempthorne stated concerns that, "the polar bears’ habitat may literally be melting." Further, leading scientists project that the Arctic may be completely free of sea ice in the summer as early as 2040. Under these circumstances, I feel strongly that U.S. policy should take reasonable measures to preserve the polar bear until we can reverse this trend. H.R. 2327 is an extension of two existing U.S. policies: polar bear trophy hunting is illegal in Alaska and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits sports hunting marine mammals. As you may know, MMPA of 1972 established a moratorium on the importation of marine mammals and marine-mammal products, including the importation of all sport hunted marine mammals such as seals, walruses and polar bears. Technically the bill does not alter the legality of international polar bear hunting because if H.R. 2327 became law, American hunters could hunt polar bears legally in Canada. The bill merely alters the fact that they could not lawfully import the trophy. In 1994 the polar bears’ survival was not known to be at risk and Congress made the existing exception at that time. Today, policy makers must consider the major threat to the polar bears' future and I believe that this policy is no longer warranted until the polar bears' habitat recovers. Your letter also stated that you have not received responses from me. It is very important to me that I respond to my constituents and I have looked into this matter. My records do not indicate having received letters from you in the past. Please let me know if you sent these letters via email or postal mail. Please continue to contact me about the issues that concern you, as I both need and welcome your thoughts and ideas. As a service to my constituents, I maintain a website which contains valuable resources and information on Congressional activities. Please feel free to visit the website at http://www.house.gov/inslee for information on recent issues and to learn more about the services my office provides. If you have not done so already, please visit http://www.house.gov/inslee/signup.htm to subscribe to my e-mail updates. I encourage you to contact me via email, telephone, or fax, because security measures are causing House offices to experience delays in receiving postal mail. My email address is: Jay.Inslee@mail.house.gov. Please be sure to include your full name and address, including your zip code, in your message. Very truly yours, JAY INSLEE Member of Congress --- End quote --- |
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