A bill to outlaw polar bear hunting......introduced by our (WA) Rep.

[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):

                           

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

[Michelle_Nelson]

Isn't their supposedly an Ice age every 10,000 or 100,000 years?  The earth goes in cycles does it not.  Every thing changes.  Dinosaurs went extinct and so have alot of other species in the past.  Some times i realy think we wory to much about things we can not change. 

I am NOT saying I don't care if Polor Bears become extinct.  What I am saying is that if they do their is probably nothing we can do about it.  By all means BAN hunting on all Polor Bears.  When the ice disapears what happens to the polar bears? 

Who is to say we are even at fault for global warming.  Hasn't it been proven their is an ice age every 10,000 or 100,000 years?  Who's to say this Global warming thing isn't earth going through a natural cycle that it's been going through for as long as it's been here.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I think you're right about the warm/cold cycles of the earth, however- geologic records show that those trends are very slow compared to the trend we're seeing now.  Look at all the cars/factories/farms/and cut trees compared to only 200 years ago.  How could this trend not be caused by us? 
I do agree about the ice melt and polar bear demise...if their extinction is inevitable we should preserve them nicely in our trphy rooms

[Ray]

This proposed legislation doesn't outlaw US Hunters from polar bear hunting. In fact it is already against the law in the United States. It outlaws them from importing the trophy. I think it is clearly a political stunt to show that he is environmentally friendly. A feather to put in his cap when he needs to appease some eco crowds for the next election round and nothing more.

I don't want to hunt polar bears and never will. However those that do so legally in another country such as Canada shouldn't have political jokesters playing big chief with their legally sanctioned activities. Polar bears or not; Canada should be able to figure out when they want to outlaw hunting species there. This bill only serves to outlaw otherwise normal actions which take place after the hunt for many species. Taking the remains home to eat or utilize for a rug or mount. If I shoot any bear I don't do it in order to leave the body in the dirt where it dies. It might make many people think what's next ? Caribou??

In the overall picture of things I don't think it's such a big deal but don't give em an inch is the philosophy I prefer to take.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I agree with you huntwa! 

[pacyew]

A feather to put in his cap when he needs to appease some eco crowds for the next election round and nothing more.
In the overall picture of things I don't think it's such a big deal but don't give em an inch is the philosophy I prefer to take.

I concur. Inslee is one of the least engaged Reps that our State has ever had. Other than his votes and an occasional stunt like this, it's as if he doesn't exist. Considering his politics, probably a good thing.

Import of Polar Bear parts is a relatively new enactment. Originally, we lost the ability to import polar bear as a part of the '70's Marine Mammals Act. Considering their large numbers, this made as little sense as much of the rest of that Act. But, they are one of those "feel good" species, like the wolf. They are not listed as an endangered species, and according to most reputable Canadian Bios they are not in decline. They are not all drowning.

Passage of Inslee's measure will mostly mean that several settlements of Inuits in Canada's Arctic will simply have to find other means of making a living, but they'll be okay.

The bigger picture for us is that this is yet one more bit of nonsensical wildlife legislation to add to the existing heap.

[jackelope]

can anyone tell me where i can get some polar bear hair?? makes for tying some sweet steelhead flies

[Dustin]

Sorry for my late response to this but I puked half way through his response and had to go and change and clean my laptop!

[PolarBear]

I can help you Jackelope!  I have tons to spare and the wife would like to see some of it goe!  Haaahaaaaaaa!

[pacyew]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Contact: Beth Ruth (614) 888-4868 ext. 214
June 27, 2007
 
U.S. House Rejects Polar Bear Hunting Ban
 
(Columbus) – The nation’s sportsmen have stood up on behalf of polar bear conservation.  Congressmen have refused to impose restrictions on big game hunters that would have crippled polar bear conservation.
 
On June 27, the U.S. House of Representatives defeated a last minute amendment to HR 2643, the House Interior Appropriations Bill, which would have banned the import of polar bear trophies. Voting 188 to 242, the House turned down anti-hunters’ efforts to prohibit American big game hunters from pursuing healthy, sustainable polar bear populations in Canada.
 
“It appears U.S. representatives recognized that the effort to ban Americans from polar bear hunting is baseless from a conservation standpoint,” said U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Senior Vice President Rick Story. “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 worked along with the National Rifle Association and other sportsmen’s groups to help defeat the amendment.  The American Wildlife Conservation Partners sent a letter of opposition signed by many of its members to all congressional offices. 
 
American sportsmen comprise approximately 90 percent of the foreign hunting clientele in Canada, annually pouring millions of dollars into polar bear conservation and management, not to mention the financial benefits to the local communities. American hunters are the primary source of essential funding for conservation and research that allows for continued success of the populations.
 
Language banning the hunt has already been included in the Senate Interior Appropriations Bill.
 
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.
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[Ray]

Good news.