September 2005 - Inside IAFWA
▪
IAFWA Wraps Up the 2005 IAFWA Annual Meeting, Begins
Preparations for Colorado
▪ Wildlife Action Plans to Conserve Wildlife,
Natural Areas Submitted to Fish and Wildlife Service
▪ It’s a Rap! John Cooper Named New IAFWA President
▪ Completion of the National Fish Habitat Action
Plan Set for March
▪ Teaming with Wildlife Plans New
Coalition and Communications Training
▪ Foundation Creates Louisiana Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries Employee Relief Fund
▪
Oceans Policy Committee Develops Recommendations in Support
of Reauthorizing the MSF Act
▪
IAFWA Awards Conservation’s Best and Brightest
IAFWA Wraps Up the 2005 IAFWA Annual Meeting, Begins
Preparations for Colorado
The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) Annual
Meeting is held for the purpose of covering the most current fish and wildlife
conservation policy issues. The gathering is built on the idea that the
meeting’s many exchanges of ideas and philosophies between administrators and
the professional fish and wildlife biologists, managers, and technical workers
in related fields allow for better management of our natural resources.
This year, the Annual meeting, held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville,
TN, saw more than 550 attendees representing more than 40 states and 4 provinces
of Canada.
“The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies expresses our
sincere gratitude and warmest thanks to the Tennessee and the Tennessee Wildlife
Resources Agency for serving the interests of the Association by hosting a
superb 2005 Annual Meeting,” says John Baughman, executive vice president of
IAFWA. “Many important discussions took place during the meeting, and many
important action items are sure to follow.”
Although perhaps hundreds of ideas and discussions began with the Annual
Meeting, some of the more formal resolutions include the incorporation of fish
and wildlife health in the Association’s vision; supporting restoration of
natural resources, devastated by Hurricane Katrina; supporting the completion of
56 Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies/Action Plans; recognizing the
significance of the Wildlife Violator Compact, a tool to discourage the unlawful
taking of natural resources; the increased management of feral swine, and;
support of the 2006 Emergency Wetland Loan Act to promote the conservation of
migratory waterfowl.
For your complete email copy of these and other IAFWA Annual Meeting
Resolutions, please contact Angela Rivas-Nelson or visit our Website for other
meeting highlights.
Next up… Colorado!
Hosted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the International Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies invites you to join us at the 96th IAFWA Annual
Meeting in Aspen, Colorado's Snowmass Silvertree Hotel/Resort and Conference
Center.
With the beautiful backdrop of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, you're invited to share in the accomplishments and examine the challenges of the fish and wildlife management business. Develop new relationships within the Association and the industry to create proactive strategies for wildlife management in the 21st Century.
You can expect new and up-to-date information for committee and working group
meetings in addition to dynamic speakers of interest to all attendees. At the
same time, Colorado's high country offers unbelievable scenery, outstanding
trout fishing and a whole plethora of other outdoor activities.
Conference registration and committee meeting request forms and agenda updates
are available in April at www.iafwa.org.
For information on sponsoring an event, contact Rachel Brittin at
rbrittin@iafwa.org.
Wildlife Action Plans to Conserve Wildlife, Natural Areas Submitted to Fish and Wildlife Service
IAFWA, and its Teaming with Wildlife Coalition, prepare for events and media feedback as the state fish and wildlife agencies will submit their state wildlife action plans in time for the October 1 deadline. Each action plan, to conserve wildlife and the places they live, is the culmination of years of work by scientists, sportsmen, conservationists, and other members of the community.
In order to make the best use of the federal funds provided through the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program and the State Wildlife Grants Program, Congress charged each state and territory with developing a statewide wildlife action plan. These proactive plans, known technically as “comprehensive wildlife conservation strategies,” will help conserve wildlife and vital natural areas before they become too rare and costly to protect.
”As our communities grow, the wildlife action plans will give us the ability to fulfill our responsibility to conserve wildlife and the lands and waters where they live for future generations,” says Marty McHugh, Director of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and Teaming with Wildlife Committee Chair.
The wildlife action plans are no being reviewed by the National Advisory Acceptance Team, a panel of Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Regional Directors and five state wildlife agency Directors. This panel is carefully assessing each plan and making final recommendations to the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service.
“When completed, the state wildlife actions plans will give us a much needed
comprehensive nation-wide blueprint for wildlife conservation in America," says
Matt Hogan, Acting Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They will
help guide the investment of state, federal and private conservation dollars,
well in to the future."
It’s a Rap!
John Cooper Named New IAFWA President
Sporting a backwards baseball cap and a little rap star attitude, IAFWA
Nominating Committee Chair, Wayne MacCallum announced—or rather rapped—the
recommendation for the 2006 IAFWA President, South Dakota’s John Cooper. The
announcement was made on September 15, during the Association’s recent Business
Meeting in Nashville, TN. Cooper assumes the role of President following
Nevada’s Terry Crawforth in 2005.
When asked to report on the Committee’s findings, MacCallum stood before the
Association’s voting members and began to recite the following light-hearted
rap:
“We be looking to the east
We be looking to the west
We be looking for the officers we like the best
The President must work without his rest
We want Mr. Cooper, he be the best
We be looking to the east
We be looking to the west
We be looking for the officers we like the best
The Vice President he stands ready to lead
Mr. Parker he be the one we need
We be looking to the east
We be looking to the west
We be looking for the officers we like the best
The Executive Committee members, there be eight
Mr. Pugh, Mr. Amack, Mr. Barnhart, Mr. Haddad, Mr. Koenings, Mr. Palmer, Mr.
Vonk, Mr. Perry
They be straight
We be looking to the east
We be looking to the west
We be looking for the officers we like the best
Move to accept the report.”
Although this report was light-hearted, the work that lies ahead of Cooper through 2005 will be most important, as the Association plans the launch of several national, large-scale conservation campaigns—the National Fish Habitat Initiative and the Teaming with Wildlife Initiative are just two of many projects underway in 2005. Meanwhile, the Association will entertain the idea of a name update to the “Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies” and new coordinating logo and branding effort.
“This is a big year for IAFWA,” says Executive Vice-President, John Baughman. “John Cooper’s leadership in working with our Washington, DC staff will be key to ensuring the successful launch of several big initiatives.”
John Cooper is Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. He was selected to lead the Department by Governor William Janklow in April, 1995. As Department Secretary, John has pledged to manage the wildlife, fisheries, and parks of South Dakota for the use and enjoyment of its citizens and visitors.
Prior to his current position in state government, John served 22 years with the Law Enforcement Division of the US Fish & Wildlife Service. He was the Senior Resident Agent for North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, supervising six special agents who enforced a variety of federal, state, and tribal wildlife laws.
For more information about John Cooper, please contact South Dakota Game, Fish
and Parks’ Chuck Schlueter,
Chuck.Schlueter@state.sd.us.
Completion of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan Set for March
According to the Fisheries and Water Resources Policy Committee, which met recently at the IAFWA Annual Meeting, March 2006 will be the goal for completion of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The Committee met to discuss issues pertaining to water quality and wildlife, and to endorse the progress made on behalf of the National Fish Habitat Initiative, a public outreach and fundraising effort supporting cleaner, healthier aquatic habitat.
The National Fish Habitat Initiative (NIFHI) is of utmost importance to this committee, as the Committee’s charge is to focus on issues surrounding water quality, fish and wildlife production, recreation, and waterway access in freshwater and marine environments; aquatic habitat threats and opportunities presented by policy, legislation and litigation; and the well being of our nation’s freshwater and marine sport, subsistence, and commercial fisheries.
“This committee endorses the current direction and progress being made by the NFHI Core Workgroup as reported at this meeting and in their draft Action Plan,” states the Committee. “The FWRP committee therefore endorses continuation of the project and approves plans to deliver a final product to the FWRP committee in March 2006.”
Great progress continues in the effort to develop a National Fish Habitat Initiative. Recognizing the valuable contribution of healthy fish populations to our nation’s economic and social well being, and understanding the many threats to fish populations as a result of current or potential habitat loss, the NFHI Core Workgroup is determined to put forth a bold new plan for fish habitat conservation. The key is their focus on opportunities to support and build on successful regional initiatives and partnerships with greater national support, more coordinated and strategic investment of resources, improved data systems and better monitoring and progress measurement.
Through strategic investments, this action plan will support the work of public and private conservation stakeholders including federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, local watershed groups and others. The results will yield numerous benefits to aquatic resources, anglers, and local economies.
To find out more, visit www.fishhabitat.org.
Teaming with Wildlife Plans New Coalition and
Communications Training
IAFWA is planning a November training to provide the tools needed to help reinvigorate the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition and provide a unified front supporting increased funding for wildlife conservation. The training is targeted towards state Teaming with Wildlife contacts, Wildlife Diversity Managers, Information and Education Chiefs and NGO Leaders, and will provide an inside look on the past, present and future of the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition. This is an important time for Teaming with Wildlife. Particularly, approaching implementation of the state wildlife action plans.
In the late 1990’s IAFWA built a coalition of 3,000 wildlife organizations
nationwide. This coalition, “Teaming with Wildlife,” was a potent political
force, and led to the creation of the State Wildlife Grants program. Now, with
the October 1 deadline of the state wildlife action plans fast approaching, the
time is right to reinvigorate the coalition and activate a new generation of
conservation champions. The state wildlife action plans provide an unprecedented
opportunity to rally the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition around the goal of
increased and reliable state and federal funding for wildlife conservation.
In addition to a presentation of the polling and messaging strategies, you’ll be
the first to see the results from a new poll (September 2005) of wildlife
activists, who are key to rebuilding the coalition and achieving concrete
results.
Join us on November 15-16, for an inside look at coalition building strategies that made us so successful in past, and an interactive training on the new tools we’ve developed to solidify the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition today and into the future. The training will take place at the Skyland Resort in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park, VA—roughly 90 minutes from Washington’s Dulles International Airport.
Stay tuned for more information, or email Sean Robertson: 202-624-5363,
srobertson@iafwa.org.
Foundation Creates Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Employee Relief Fund
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation has set up an account for
the purpose of donating to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
employees and their families who have been displaced from their homes and have
suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Katrina. This includes the many
personnel and their families who worked in or around the New Orleans area. Funds
will be used to assist employees with housing, clothing and other items lost due
to the hurricane.
Anyone who wishes to donate to the fund should contact Hibernia National
Bank with the following account information: LDWF Employee Relief Fund
(Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation) or mail a check to Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, Attn: John Campbell, P.O. Box 2471,
Baton Rouge, LA 70821. Donors should designate on the check that it is for the
LDWF Employee Relief Fund.
For more information, contact LDWF staff members Sandy Trahan at
225-765-2938 or strahan@wlf.louisiana.gov or Ruth Rigg at 225-765-2850 or
rrigg@wlf.louisiana.gov.
Oceans Policy Committee Develops Recommendations in Support
of Reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act
During the recent IAFWA Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN, the new IAFWA Oceans
Policy Committee developed several recommendations relative to reauthorization
of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (MSA).
The MSA is the governing authority for all fishery management activities that occur in federal waters of the United States. It was first designed in 1976 to create a system for monitoring and management of the fish stocks in these waters and set in motion a process that eventually "Americanized" the fisheries, allowing American vessels and companies to take over harvesting and processing from the fleets of other nations. The 1996 reauthorization focused on rebuilding stocks and fostering sustainable domestic fisheries.
The current reauthorization process now underway is being influenced by a number of diverse interests. An Administration bill has been introduced that incorporates changes contained in the President’s Ocean Action Plan, which were based on the recently completed President’s US Commission on Ocean Policy. The Senate Commerce Committee, under the leadership of Senator Ted Stevens (AK) is also developing a bill. The new IAFWA Oceans Policy Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Wayne Regelin of Alaska was established to provide for states a forum to exchange ideas and develop a common agenda for consideration during the MSA reauthorization process. By joining together on issues of common interest, the states can ensure that their roles in coastal and federal fisheries management are protected and enhanced.
The Oceans Policy Committee has recommended a series of key concepts for consideration. Reacting to an Ocean Action Plan recommendation for a federal registration of all recreational and commercial anglers, the Oceans Policy Committee recommends that legislation set forth a process for NOAA Fisheries to work closely with the states in implementing any new or expanded permitting systems. Building on existing state license systems will most efficiently enable the collection of necessary catch and activity data while not duplicating efforts of state fishery management programs or creating unnecessary hardship for fishermen. The Committee expressed opposition to new federal fishing license in state or federal waters.
The Committee has also recommended clarifications to ensure that Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) in federal waters continue to be regulated by regional fishery councils, while states retain regulatory authority of MPA’s in state waters.
Responding to strong interest in expanded “Dedicated Access Privilege” systems for use in fisheries management, the Committee recommended support for inclusion of this valuable fishery management tool as a mechanism available to Fishery Management Councils. The Committee further recommended that the term “dedicated access privileges” replace “individual fishing quota” as a more descriptive and encompassing description of systems that assign specific fishing rights to particular fishermen or other entities.
Finally, the Committee addressed several recommendations to streamline and improve the management process and enhance state involvement. First, the Committee suggested that Fishery Management Plans should be the functional equivalent of a NEPA document, reducing duplicative or sometimes conflicting review processes. In addition, while supporting more comprehensive ecosystem-based management approaches, the Committee noted that related management decisions should reside with the regional councils to avoid additional and unnecessary governance.
The Committee also supported amendments to MSA that might strengthen the opportunities for delegating more authority to the states to manage fisheries when a species occurs outside of federal waters only in waters within a single states jurisdiction. Current laws allow this, but many Councils refuse to make such delegations. The committee will continue to work on language that could be suggested as an amendment to the MSA.
These recommendations were endorsed at the Business Meeting and will be used by
IAFWA and member states in addressing proposed legislation and in working with
partner organizations throughout the reauthorization process. For more
information regarding Oceans Policy Committee recommendations, please contact
IAFWA’s Eric Schwaab at eschwaab@iafwa.org.
IAFWA Awards Conservation’s Best and Brightest
IAFWA salutes the 2005 award winners of the Seth Gordon; Ernest Thompson Seton; Landowner Stewardship; Special Recognition; Mark Reeff and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Former Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Steve Williams, has been awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) prestigious Seth Gordon Award. Every year, the national award is presented to an outstanding individual who has dedicated their life making progressive and effective contributions to natural resource management in North America.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife and their Director, Steve Gray, was awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) prestigious Ernest Thompson Seton Award. The award is presented annually to the state, provincial, or federal agency that has publicly promoted the need for scientific management of wildlife resources.
Josh Avey, of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, has been awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) Mark J. Reeff Memorial Award. The award, for dedication to wildlife, youth, landowners and natural resources.
The Kimbell Ranches in Oklahoma was awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) prestigious Landowner Stewardship Award. The award is presented annually to landowners who make a significant and positive conservation impact on a large area of privately owned land.
The Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Gary T. Myers, has been awarded the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (IAFWA) first Lifetime Achievement Award. This national award is presented to an outstanding individual who has dedicated their life making progressive and effective contributions to natural resource management in North America.
For more information about IAFWA’s annual awards, visit www.iafwa.org.