Number: 1996-14
WHEREAS, radical, and often temporary, shifts in state political leadership can lead to changes in wildlife policies, based on politics rather than sound professional wildlife management; and
WHEREAS, these changes or policies, even if temporary, can lead to rapid, and possibly irreparable, damage to wildlife resources; and
WHEREAS, commercial and recreational interests may both be concerned with the same wildlife resources; and
WHEREAS, we believe that all wildlife resources should be managed by broad and stable citizen representation and by wildlife professionals rather than by special political interests or political staff appointees;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in its Annual Meeting assembled March 1-3, 1996 in West Palm Beach, Florida, votes to encourage all states (not currently doing so) to implement a citizen’s fish & wildlife commission structure to manage all wildlife resources for sustainability, recreational use and commercial harvest (where appropriate); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission be composed of broad-based volunteer representatives appointed to overlapping 4-6 year terms by the Governor of the state; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission be comprised of a balance of eligible persons representing interest groups such as sport fishers, commercial users of wildlife, hunters, private landowners, and environmentalists; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission be responsible and authorized to appoint the Director(s) of the State Department of Fish & Wildlife, to approve all commission staff personnel and to approve all budgets for the department(s) of fish and wildlife.