• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
lehigh

lehigh

First For Hunters

2022 Sporting Clays Fundraiser
  • Home
  • About
    • Projects and Programs
    • The SCI Mission and Purpose
    • SCI HUNTER’S CODE OF ETHICS
    • Past LVSCI Presidents
    • President’s Message
    • Directors and Officers
  • News
  • Resources
  • Events
  • Scholarships
  • Latest Photos
    • Photo Gallery
  • Join
  • Contact
  • Banquet & Auction
    • 2022 Banquet Award Photos
    • Photos from the 2022 Auction and Banquet
    • Friday Auction Items
    • Saturday Auction Items

PA GAME COMMISSION: RESOLUTIONS ON SUNDAY HUNTING

July 26, 2021 by lehighvalsci Leave a Comment

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today adopted two resolutions. One supports the expansion of Sunday hunting as a means of boosting hunter opportunity, supporting local economies and providing additional funding for wildlife management. The other supports adoption of Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which would allocate $1.3 billion annually for wildlife conservation across the nation.

The full text of the resolutions follows.

Sunday hunting

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has experienced a consistent decline in hunting participation over the past several decades; and

WHEREAS, These declines have negatively affected participation by both resident and non-resident hunters and have resulted in an accompanying steady decline in the number of licenses sold and revenues generated; and

WHEREAS, The Commission recognizes that youth participation is vital to maintaining the long-standing tradition of hunting within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Section 2303 of the Game and Wildlife Code (relating to hunting on Sunday prohibited)(34 Pa.C.S. § 2303) currently provides very limited Sunday hunting opportunities within the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Expanded Sunday hunting can be an effective means of recruiting new hunters and retaining current hunters by increasing the value of a hunting license by offering additional opportunities to spend time in the field; and

WHEREAS, The Commission recognizes that it can effectively double the number of hunting days for youths during the school year by offering additional Sunday hunting opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Many residents of this Commonwealth seek hunting opportunities and hunting leases in neighboring states that offer Sunday hunting; and

WHEREAS, The Commission has determined that Sunday hunting will help keep Pennsylvania hunters in Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has a long-standing tradition of hunting camps and clubs; and

WHEREAS, Expanded Sunday hunting opportunities could effectively double the number of hunting days for camp owners and club members; and

WHEREASs, Expanded Sunday hunting opportunities have the potential to provide substantial economic benefits to rural areas and businesses by increasing money spent by hunters on lodging, food, gas and other incidental items; and

WHEREAS, Expanded Sunday hunting opportunities have the potential to generate a substantial increase in out-of-state license sales and the accompanying revenue for the Commission; and

WHEREAS, Hunting license sales and their associated federal matching funds are the primary revenue source for the Commission in carrying out its mission, including maintaining 1.5 million acres of state game lands and acquisition of additional public lands, research and management of wildlife and providing information and education to the public; and

WHEREAS, Expanded Sunday hunting opportunities could effectively generate $629 million in additional spending and create 5,300 new jobs, resulting in $18 million in additional sales and income tax; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is to manage wildlife and its habitat for current and future generations; and

WHEREAS, Expanded Sunday hunting opportunities have would provide the Commission’s biologists with a new tool to manage wildlife populations; and

WHEREAS, The Commission has observed that the 43 states that currently permit Sunday hunting have not experienced any discernable negative impact on the health or vibrancy of game populations by allowing Sunday hunting; and

WHEREAS, The Commission’s Board of Commissioners recognizes that the authority to expand Sunday hunting lies entirely with the General Assembly of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, If the General Assembly repeals the restrictions on Sunday hunting and grants the Commission the authority to regulate Sunday hunting, the Board recognizes the many stakeholder groups that any actions on Sunday hunting will affect and will endeavor to engage these stakeholders before passing any new regulations in regard to Sunday hunting.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of the Pennsylvania Game Commission does hereby urge the General Assembly of Pennsylvania to repeal the prohibition on Sunday hunting in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

WHEREAS Article 1 § 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution provides for “…the preservations of the natural….values of the environment” as a birthright of every Pennsylvania citizen, including “generations yet to come”; and

WHEREAS the Title 34 § 103 of the Game and Wildlife Code provides ownership, jurisdiction, and control of game and wildlife to the PGC; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is to manage Pennsylvania’s 480 wild birds, wild mammals, and their habitats for current and future generations; and

WHEREAS the PGC does not receive revenue from the Pennsylvania General Fund; and

WHEREAS there is a recognized need to expand the dedicated and sustainable funding base for wildlife conservation in Pennsylvania and throughout the Nation; and

WHEREAS the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources, made up of 26 business and conservation leaders, was tasked with recommending a new funding mechanism to support state fish and wildlife conservation to ensure the sustainability of all fish and wildlife for current and future generations; and,

WHEREAS the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources has recommended that Congress dedicate to states and territories $1.3 billion annually to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program to diversify funding and management of all wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would fund recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources by making funds available for management of fish and wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need as determined by state fish and wildlife agencies in each state’s Wildlife Action Plan; and

WHEREAS securing dedicated federal funding is likely to require a non-federal state match similar to that in place for the Pittman-Robertson; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED TO support the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources; and

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED TO that the PGC encourage other state fish & wildlife agencies throughout the country to do the same; and

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED TO support broadening non-federal dedicated funding mechanisms for wildlife conservation and implementation of the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, and to serve as the state’s 25 percent match, in the event that new dedicated federal funding is secured.

Read more here

Filed Under: Featured

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Facebook Posts

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter
2 weeks ago
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter

MEMBER/DONOR SPOTLIGHT:
Chapter secretary, Mike Deasey, getting it done with the handgun at Casapampa Hunting Ranch in Northern Pantagonian, Argentina this week. Congratulations to all!!
... See MoreSee Less

MEMBER/DONOR SPOTLIGHT:
Chapter secretary, Mike Deasey, getting it done with the handgun at Casapampa Hunting Ranch in Northern Pantagonian, Argentina this week. Congratulations to all!!Image attachmentImage attachment
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter updated their status.
3 weeks ago
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter

... See MoreSee Less

This content isn't available right now

When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter
4 weeks ago
Safari Club International Lehigh Valley Chapter

Is Africa being heard?
What European decision-makers should know about hunting, conservation and livelihoods

Brussels, April 27, 2022 – When hunting in Africa is debated in Europe, the media tends to focus on a few charismatic species, using the term “trophy hunting”. The reality is that hunting is mainly centred around common and abundant species, which gives large areas of land conservation value, especially in areas where other economic activities are unviable. Hunting thereby produces revenue for a range of conservation activities including protected area management and community-based conservation.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates the international trade of wild species at sustainable levels to ensure that this trade does not threaten their survival. This international agreement is relevant for a number of species where regulated hunting is an economically important conservation and management tool. Even though CITES has 184 Parties, including the EU and its Members States, some European governments see fit to introduce stricter national laws on the importation of hunting trophies.

The conference “Is Africa being heard? Hunting, Conservation and Livelihoods” set out to debate this hot topic with a high-level panel discussion. The event was jointly organised by Álvaro Amaro MEP, President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” and the Intergroup’s Vice President Juan Ignacio Zoido MEP.

During his introduction, Álvaro Amaro MEP welcomed the high-level panel stressing that: “Decision-making should be based on scientific evidence and informed by existing internationally agreed policy/legal frameworks”. He added that: “It is critical to consult the stakeholders from the respective countries and acknowlegde that there is a comprehensive regulatory framework in place, which brings tangible benefits not only to local economies and the people living in rural communities, but also to sustainable wildlife management, conservation and trade, when properly enforced”.

Hon. Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, set the context by stating: “Hunting, conservation and livelihoods are very important. This is true not only in the context of this conference but to my Government and our Namibian local communities, who coexist with wildlife and experience daily incidents of human-wildlife conflict, including losses of human lives. Through hunting, we have been able to fund conservation and community development projects. Consequently, we have managed to increase our wildlife populations. Namibia’s view is that, hunting is conservation and conservation is hunting, hence the two cannot be separated. That is the view we advocate for and we would like others to fully understand and recognise this. It is therefore important for me to be at this conference, to ensure our voice is heard and our views considered when EU Member States are making wildlife-related decisions, which have the potential to negatively impact our community and conservation programmes”.

In his keynote address, Mr. Jorge Rodriguez Romero, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission, DG Environment, Multilateral Environmental Cooperation, stated: “The presumed impacts – both positive and negative – of trophy hunting have important consequences for biodiversity and for local populations. As such, policies on trophy hunting management must be realistic, evidence-based, and responsive to emerging knowledge and conversations. The ongoing revision of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking will be an opportunity to evaluate the EU approach, and if appropriate, to strengthen the management of the trade of hunting trophies to align with the latest evidence”.

Ms. Ivonne Higuero, Secretary General of CITES added: “Our goal is to conserve our endangered wildlife and to do that we have to be guided by science. Where there is scientific evidence that a specific measure can help in the conservation of a species, then it is our duty to consider it. The Parties to CITES agree there is evidence that shows that well managed and sustainable hunting can have a positive impact on species conservation”.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Dilys Roe, Chair of the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi), stated: “The majority of the world’s wildlife lives outside of national parks and on land owned or managed by indigenous people and local communities. Yet they are all too often excluded from decision-making processes about wildlife management. It’s critical that local voices are listened to, and their priorities, knowledge and experience taking into account if we are to secure a long-term future for wildlife in Africa and elsewhere”.

Dr. Rodgers Lubilo, Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa, added that: “Local communities who reside with wildlife are essential stakeholders who should not be left behind in any decision regarding use and management of these resources. Our people have over the years endured all the challenges to protect and secure much needed habitat to keep our wildlife safe. Sustainable hunting is cherished by us as it contributes to the livelihoods of our people. We detest international manoeuvrers by some European countries who are influenced by celebrities to push for hunting and trophy import bans. Our rights must be respected as we conserve these resources. In the same spirit, I call upon CITES to be more inclusive and take into account impacts on communities in their decisions. I am disappointed that the CITES Rural Communities Working Group has not been effectively organised, which we see as an attempt to ignore or diminish the voices of local communities. Hunting is critical to conservation and is part of our commitment to continue to be good stewards of wildlife”.

Mr. Ali Kaka, Regional Councillor of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the largest umbrella organisation for nature conservation organisations in the world, a national of Kenya, moderated the discussion and encouraged interventions and questions from the audience.

In his conclusion, Juan Ignacio Zoido MEP stressed that it is vital to recognise local and indigenous people’s rights to sustainably use and manage their natural resources. He stated that: “Africa’s wildlife management authorities and the community-based organisations are successfully managing and conserving their wildlife through sustainable use activities, including hunting. Decision-makers should work with Africa’s leaders in order to continue, support, enhance, and replicate their success”.

This conference was organised in conjunction with the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE), the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), Safari Club International (SCI), the Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO). The aim was to provide a stage for African voices, decision-makers and experts on the topic of hunting, conservation and livelihoods in Europe’s capital city, Brussels.

Watch the full conference here
... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
Load more

Follow LVSCI

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

2022 Auction & Banquet

  • 2022 Auction and Banquet Photos
  • 2022 Banquet Award Photos
  • 2022 Auction Items

Tags

2022 Arial Maps Banquet & Auction College Conservation coyote hunting Dan Christ - Artist eastern coyote Gun Raffle Hunting Hot Spots Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays LVSCI Live Drawing Michael Huff predator hunting Scholarship Sean McVeigh Sporting Clays Topo Maps Winners

E-mail Newsletter

More to See

Sporting Clays For Conservation

2022 Banquet & Auction Winners

LVSCI $100,000 Donation

LVSCI Donates to the Scott Chapman Conservation Endowment

LISTEN: LVSCI President Bob Newland on Rut and River Pursuits Podcast

Footer

LVSCI Mailing Address

195 Oak Summit Rd
Frenchtown NJ 08825

Search

Recent LVSCI Posts

  • LVSCI College Scholarship – 2022 Application
  • Sporting Clays For Conservation
  • 2022 Banquet & Auction Winners
  • LVSCI Donates to the Scott Chapman Conservation Endowment
  • LISTEN: LVSCI President Bob Newland on Rut and River Pursuits Podcast

Upcoming LVSCI Events

Jun 21
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

LVSCI Board Meeting

View Calendar

Tags

2022 Arial Maps Banquet & Auction College Conservation coyote hunting Dan Christ - Artist eastern coyote Gun Raffle Hunting Hot Spots Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays LVSCI Live Drawing Michael Huff predator hunting Scholarship Sean McVeigh Sporting Clays Topo Maps Winners

Copyright © 2022 · Lehigh Valley Chapter Safari Club international