Latest National Outdoor News Press Releases

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Bullseye Taking Action for Animals or Changing Society? Wednesday, July 14, 2010 1:20:14 PM


By Greg R. Lawson, Director of Communications
In the wake of San Francisco’s serious look at banning the purchasing of pets, I could not resist sharing this video that I discovered the other day. It’s a promotional video highlighting an annual Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) sponsored activist conference. I was struck at how well it highlights what HSUS is all about- ANIMAL RIGHTS and changing society.

Basically, the video is a compilation of highlights from the conference HSUS held last year in the Washington D.C. area (and similar to another one they plan for this year). Notice all of the “Herbivore” and “Go Vegetarian” signs strewn about the various exhibits. Also, check out the sign and DVDs at the 43 second mark. It reads: “NO Hunting: All animals on this property protected” complete with the HSUS logo on it.

Does this sound like a group that is only against the “worst abuses?”

Also, you should check out HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle’s comments at the end where he states point blank, “We’re going to change the way society deals with them.” Kind of sounds like a pretty hard core agenda, doesn’t it?

I’ve written before about how the powers that be at HSUS see themselves as part of a social movement that is a natural progression, at least in their minds, of the civil and women’s rights movements.

If this is what you believe, ok, I guess HSUS might be your kind of thing. If you think comparing animal rights in the same breath as the struggles women and African-Americans have faced is crazy talk, you should spread the word about what animal rightists really represent.

By the way, according to the New York City blog, the Gothamist, Patrick Kwan, HSUS’ New York State Director was quoted as saying, “The Humane Society of the United States does not support the buying and selling of dogs, cats, and wild animals, such as large constrictor snakes and primates, through pet stores.” So is HSUS planning to put a San Francisco push on in the Big Apple?

For those listening, HSUS is telling you what they really stand for. It’s time to get more people to listen.

[administrator]

Western States Gear Up for Possible Wolf Seasons

Seasons Depend on Outcome of Court Case
7/14/10


Wildlife officials in Idaho and Montana are preparing for the upcoming wolf hunting seasons in both states. However, the work being done could become a moot point depending on the outcome of a court case concerning the possible renewal of Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population.

During a July 7-8 meeting of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, a staff briefing indicated that the Commission will be considering several changes to the state’s wolf season during its August meeting. These changes would include the use of trapping and electronic calling in certain areas. The actual quotas for the season will be decided at the August meeting as well.

Meanwhile on July 8, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission issued a unanimous decision that it will increase the number of wolf tags from 75 last year to 186 for the upcoming season.

Despite the decisions being made by wildlife professionals in Idaho and Montana, it remains uncertain if there will be a season at all. As the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance previously reported, federal Judge Donald W. Molloy heard arguments on June 15 from both sides of the debate over the removal of gray wolves in the Northern Rocky area from the Endangered Species List.

Idaho and Montana each had wolf seasons in 2009 after the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf population was removed from the Endangered Species List in those states.

In September, 2009 Judge Molloy refused to block the then scheduled hunts in Montana and Idaho as requested by a coalition of anti-hunting groups that had filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for delisting the wolves. However, the decision left open the larger issue of relisting the population.

The key issue that will determine whether the wolves are placed back under ESA protection revolves around whether the FWS could “split protection” between states. The antis argued that this is what FWS did by maintaining protections for wolves in Wyoming, which is also within the Northern Rocky Mountain region, while removing them in Idaho and Montana. They argued that if any of the population is threatened, the entire population must be listed. Attorneys representing the FWS argued that both the Bush and the Obama administrations approved of the delisting and that Congress intended to have flexibility in protecting species under the ESA.


Articles This Week:

Western States Gear Up for Possible Wolf Seasons
San Francisco Considers Pet Sale Ban
Check Out Our New Video

[administrator]

Bullseye
A Blog a Day to Keep the Antis Away? Thursday, June 10, 2010 1:49:33 PM

Editor’s Note: According to a recent online survey conducted by AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com, 64 percent of hunters and anglers report they are not using social networking sites, like blogs, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace to obtain outdoor information. While these numbers may be slightly different depending on the polls and surveys taken, there is one clear thing to take away from this, the outdoor sports community should have a more active role in the new media environment in order to share experiences and fight back against the loud voices of the anti-hunting/animal rights community.

This week’s Bullseye Blog is a guest blog, written by blogging expert and executive business coach Barbara C., and will help explain how through blogging, you can get more involved in sharing your passion for the outdoors with friends, family and those that may not know much about our outdoor heritage”.

Did you know there’s an easy and fun way to protect your sportsmen’s rights without ever leaving the comfort of home or taking too much time away from the field?

I’m talking about blogging.

For anyone unfamiliar, the term “blog” is short for the term “weblog”. But blogs aren’t just “kidstuff” anymore and have exploded in a big way with almost everyone using them. Blogs are simply a short story mirroring an editorial about a subject that can be sent out quickly to the masses. There are personal blogs, business blogs, celebrity blogs, and even outdoor blogs.

Blogs are popular for many reasons: they’re fun, easy to create and can be easily personalized. They give anyone with the right background the chance to be an authority on the web.

They can also help you protect your rights and traditions by giving you a chance to make an impact on how the public, the press – and even politicians view sportsmen’s issues.

The secret is that blogs run on a technology called RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication. Simply put, whenever you post content on your blog, it can be indexed in Google or other online search engines almost INSTANTLY.

That means that you have the power to instantly publish content directly onto the web, which can be seen by millions of people – including members of the public, the press and politicians.

And on any given day, when those people perform a Google search for “hunting”, fishing” or “antis” – your blog makes your opinion visible – which means your voice can make the difference on any given day.

Can a simple blog translate into political power? YES!

Politicians and pundits check the “blog-o-sphere” daily for the pulse of the people – meaning you.

Blogs are easily the most powerful tool in the fight to protect your rights and those of your fellow sportsmen and women - and it’s as easy as typing.

Which brings us to our next question – are you blogging yet?

As a member of the USSA, you can help simply by blogging! Help us help you! Take our Sportsmen’s Blog Survey & tell us what you think! Click here!

And stay tuned to USSA for more helpful and exciting blog ideas and information. Also stay tuned for future stories that will connect you to all the info you need to get started with your own blog.

[administrator]

New Report Indicates Access a Problem for Anglers


6/10/10



A new report sheds light on the declining number of recreational anglers by finding that a lack of access, in particular boating access, is identified as a problem for many who fish. The report also outlines the need for better communication between policymakers and anglers in order to improve programs that enhance access to prime fishing areas.

The study, released in early June, was conducted by the well known natural resources and outdoor sports research firm, Responsive Management, in cooperation with the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). The work was paid for through a Multi-State Conservation Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, administered by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The goal of the report was to gain an understanding of how access impacts anglers and landowners throughout the country.

Many anglers surveyed said they had a limited amount of time to go fishing due to work and family obligations. However, a significant number also described a lack of access to good fishing areas as a significant factor in their declining participation in recreational fishing.

Key findings included that two-thirds of the anglers surveyed in the study use public land as opposed to private land. It also found that boating access played a major role as half of freshwater and a majority of saltwater anglers surveyed stated that they used private boats to fish. Only nine percent of anglers surveyed said they were aware of programs available to facilitate access.

“The results of this study point to numerous specific research-based strategies that can be implemented to make access to the water easier for our nation's anglers,” said Mark Damian Duda, executive director of Responsive Management. “The report clearly highlights that, as with hunting, access is a major issue impacting the number of anglers outside as well as the quality of their experiences.”

“Policymakers need to consider how to help guarantee points of access for anglers,” said Doug Jeanneret, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs. “A failure to tackle this today will mean even fewer anglers tomorrow.”

[administrator]

U.S. Coast Guard to burn thickest oil from massive Gulf spill

Racing against a threat to environmentally sensitive marshlands, authorities planned to begin Wednesday burning some of the thickest oil from a rig explosion off the coast of Louisiana.
A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said the burn was expected to begin in the morning.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Prentice Danner says fire-resistant containment booms will be used to corral some of the thickest oil on the water's surface, which will then be ignited. It was unclear how large an area would be set on fire or how far from shore the first fire would be set.
The slick is the result of oil leaking from the site of last week's huge explosion of the rig Deepwater Horizon that left 11 people missing and presumed dead.
Oil continues to spill undersea at an estimated rate of 160, 000 litres a day.
Robot submarines have been unable to cap the well. Operator BP Plc. says work will begin as early as Thursday to drill a relief well to take pressure off the flow from the blowout site. That could take months.
Winds and currents in the Gulf have helped crews in recent days as they try to contain the leak, but it has moved steadily toward the mouth of the Mississippi River, an area home to hundreds of species of wildlife and near some of the Gulf's richest oyster grounds.
Meanwhile, the cost of the disaster continues to rise.
The Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20. The rig was owned by Transocean Ltd. and operated by BP.
Industry officials say replacing the Deepwater Horizon would cost up to $700-million (U.S.) BP has said its costs associated with containing the spill are running at $6 million a day. The company said it will spend $100 million to drill the relief well, which it does not expect to be operating for up to three months. The coast guard has not yet reported its expenses.

[administrator]

For Immediate Release

TBF joins Sportfishing Industry and Partners
Calling on Administration to Make Major
Marine Fisheries Management ChangesImmediate administrative action needed to avoid significant problems with fisheries management

WASHINGTON D.C. – February 23, 2010 – The Billfish Foundation today joined a coalition of marine recreational fishing, boating, and conservation organizations and businesses to call on the Obama administration to take immediate action to deal with a crisis in federal fisheries management that has been growing for two decades because federal regulators failed to collect accurate and timely fisheries data or conduct sufficient and frequent stock assessments.
Ellen Peel, President of The Billfish Foundation said, “We believe had the National Marine Fisheries Service received more funding for stock assessments and collection of recreational fishing data over the past ten years, the current crisis would not have evolved. This current situation is an example of passing legislation and not funding the essentials to make it meaningful, not punitive.”
In a letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the American Sportfishing Association, The Billfish Foundation, the Center for Coastal Conservation, the Coastal Conservation Association, the International Game Fish Association, and the National Marine Manufacturers Association laid out an initial framework to immediately address serious and escalating problems resulting from inadequate implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the chronic problems that exist within the federal marine fisheries management system.
The coalition emphasizes that there are available administrative actions that can be taken right away to address the concerns of the sportfishing and boating industries and the nation’s 13 million saltwater anglers who depend on well-managed, healthy marine fisheries.
Read the full letter here -- link to full letter to the TBF website: billfish.org .
Given NOAA’s recent ban on recreational fishing for red snapper from North Carolina through Florida and the potential for additional bans on key recreational saltwater fisheries, much of the frustration that exists in the grassroots recreational fishing community over these management decisions has boiled over into organized protests including, one being held Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

With today’s letter, the coalition called upon the administration to:
• Take decisive, immediate action to improve recreational fisheries data by redirecting existing funds and personnel to focus on real-time management data.
• Collect socio-economic data on recreational fishing in the communities most likely to be impacted by near-term or expected fisheries closures.
• Provide federal level direction to the fishery management councils to use common-sense in their management approaches while the administration collects the requisite data to make sound management decisions.
• Develop a recreational fishing program and staff within NMFS commensurate with the national economic contribution of recreational saltwater fishing.

TBF’s Peel added, “Stock assessments for recreationally important species have been a lower priority of the National Marine Fisheries Service than is justified by the economic contribution of the recreational fishing community. Recreational fishing accounts for only three percent of the marine finfish harvested by weight, yet it produces 56 percent of the jobs from all saltwater fisheries.”

The Billfish Foundation had to provide financial support to get Atlantic billfish stock assessments started two decades ago. TBF also has a long history of funding biological and socio-economic studies in the U.S. and other nations to use in promoting that good billfish conservation pays; the U.S. government has never given this a priority. Billfish management is complicated due to their highly migratory nature that takes the fish across national and international waters.

The coalition’s groups look forward to working closely with the Administration and NOAA to implement solutions to effectively deal with our nation’s marine fisheries resources.

2/23/2010 TBF PR counsel - Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications,
Scottsdale, Ariz., USA
480-951-3654 (ph) -- JohnsonCom@aol.com

[administrator]

For immediate release:
w/jpeg photos courtesy of the National Geographic Channel

Tagging billfish for science leads to great white shark research adventure and exciting TV series
Chris Fischer leads “Expedition Great White” on Nat Geo Channel Monday night, Nov. 16th
GUADALUPE ISLAND, Baja Mexico, (Nov. 13, 2009) – Avid billfish angler and TV outdoor fishing adventurer Chris Fischer never thought he’d actually be living a scene much like that from Jaws as he kneeled face-to-face handling a huge, live 4,600 pound great white shark.
As a sportsman Fischer has caught and safely released lots of giant black marlin each weighing about 800 lbs, but this great white and the other giant toothy predators that followed were the biggest he’s ever caught, examined and then released 15 minutes later unharmed.
It began when Fischer, a board member for The Billfish Foundation (TBF) was asked by Dr. Michael Domeier to help him tag big black marlin off Panama to follow their migratory habits by satellite. An avid billfisherman and billfish scientist, Domeier happens to be a great white shark scientist as well.
“When he saw Ocean our 126 ft., mothership he asked if I would be able to catch and safely lift a great white shark on it for scientific research he wanted to do,” said Fischer. “We have a hydraulic lift to pick-up a 75,000 lb game boat. I said ‘sure. We can build a fence around the lift and swing a great white over it.’
“I felt we were the only people in the world who can safely capture these giant beasts of the ocean, pick them out of the water and let them go in good shape because of the lift and my crew of very talented world game anglers and captains,” as Fischer described Jody Whitworth and Brett McBride two legendary captains among his team members.
“I self-funded it, because we don’t really know much about great white sharks or other huge fish. It was a kind of a moral obligation to help Dr. Domeier solve this puzzle because I thought we would be the only people in the world who could do it for him. No one has ever had the ability to deliver mature specimens to scientists in remote locations because they are so big.
“Like in the movie Jaws, the first time we saw a shark come in and eat the bait and then take off and drag the buoys under and across the water it was a life-changing moment as an angler. The angling experience of capturing and releasing giant great white sharks is nothing similar to an angling experience of capturing a large pelagic fish. There’s a sense of history, a sense of awe, humility and humbleness. When a shark comes into the pattern under the back of the boat you look over at your bro and you’re all taking a step back. That thing is going to eat and we don’t want anyone to die today,” Fischer said with a smile describing that moment.
They even named the first great white they caught and released Bruce for the mechanical sharks used in the 1975 movie thriller classic.
Like a tenacious angler trying to get his quarry it took Fischer two years of pitching his project before National Geographic bit after seeing his exciting and extensive footage.
“I promised Dr. Domeier I would help him get these tags out and I went back and funded it a second year to help him finish this TV project and continue his science. Because of the severe down turn in the nation’s economy, if I couldn’t sell it I would have to sell my ship and get rid of everything. I was getting down to my last liquid dollars.”
Emulating the late French marine researcher Jacques Cousteau and his 139 ft. Calypso, Cousteau’s filming platform, Fischer describes his new TV series and his ship Ocean as a modern day vessel worthy of worldwide research of huge sharks and pelagic fish.
“And the episodes have the adventures of writer Zane Grey with many elements of the Deadliest Catch.” Fischer has won multiple Emmys for his recent Offshore Adventure series and other shows over this current decade. Actor Paul Walker another TBF board member and avid billfisherman helped on his crew.
“Monday night’s show is kind of a sneak peak during Expedition Week for the 10 hour series to run next summer,” said the highly passionate Fischer for his project. “The show is called Expedition Great White. We caught what we estimated to be a 4,600 lb great white based on length and girth.
“The first thing I did was call my buddies at the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) the world record keeping body, and Salt Water Sportsman magazine and asked them what was the biggest fish ever caught and released alive. Figures were in the 2,000 lb range on recreational tackle. I sent them this picture and they said nothing has been caught and released alive that big. We caught three of them over 4,000 lbs., the three biggest fish ever in history, caught and released alive. A specially designed system is used to keep each alive. The exam includes a blood draw by Dr. Domeier to check hormone levels, measurements, sperm samples taken, and tagging by attaching a tracking antenna to the dorsal fin before releasing.
“So it’s been great as the data is pouring in. Dr. Domeier is beginning to solve the puzzle of the great white shark; where they breed, where they feed, where they give birth so we can look after them and protect these areas. We’re learning so much new science.”
And work continues on the life cycle and migratory habits of billfish.
“Early next year we’re helping Dr. Domeier put out black marlin tags in the Puerto Vallarta fishery,” said Fischer. “He’s an avid big time black marlin and striped marlin angler and an active advisor to the TBF board. We support him and his science anyway we can.”
For more on the show which will be broadcast at 9 pm ET/PT, go to the Nat Geo website at http://channel.nationalgeographic.co...pedition-week/ .
----------------------
More on The Billfish Foundation: TBF is the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to conserving and enhancing billfish populations worldwide. With world headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., USA, TBF was established in 1986 by the late Winthrop P. Rockefeller, and has a comprehensive network of members and supporters including anglers, captains, mates, scientists, tournament directors, clubs, sport fishing and tourism businesses. By coordinating efforts and speaking with one voice, the organization works for solutions that are good for billfish, not punitive to recreational anglers and good for the local economy.
For more see the TBF web site at www.billfish.org or phone them at 800-438-8247.
###

TBF PR counsel - Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications
Scottsdale, Ariz., USA
480-951-3654 (ph) -- JohnsonCom@aol.com

Editors: please credit the National Geographic Channel for the following photos:

Captions:
1-2 – Chris Fischer holds one of the special hooks used for the safe catch and release of the great white sharks during the filming of Expedition Great White. (photo credit: © National Geographic Channel)

2 -2 -- GUADALUPE ISLAND, Baja Mexico: (Left to right) Crew member, Chad Kiesel and expert angler, Chris Fischer tag a 14 ft female great white shark to track her to breeding grounds. The hydration hose in the shark's mouth keeps it alive while the team measures, tags, and takes blood samples. (photo credit: © National Geographic Channel/ Chris Ross)

5 – 4 -- GUADALUPE ISLAND, Baja Mexico: Crew member, Jody Whitworth lifts the nose of a great white shark while Captain Brett McBride removes the hydration hose that keeps the shark alive on deck. (photo credit: © National Geographic Channel/ Chris Ross)

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Bill in Congress Would Prohibit Most Trapping in Wildlife Refuges

10/16/09



A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would ban the use of the most common type of trap used to control predator populations within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

HR 3710, introduced by Representative Nita Lowey (D- NY), would make it illegal to use any trap that will “kill or capture wildlife by physically restraining any part of the animal” within the Refuge system. This definition of banned traps include the most common types, such as Conibear-style traps and foothold traps, that are used to control both predator and nuisance populations.

For a first offense, the bill orders a civil fine of up to $500 for each proscribed trap used or possessed. For subsequent offenses, a person in violation faces fines up to $1000 for each trap used or possessed as well as imprisonment for up to 180 days. Additionally, all such traps would be forfeited.

Similar bills have been introduced in the last several years but have never moved forward.

“Trapping is universally regarded by the wildlife management community as an invaluable tool to control predators and furbearers,” stated Bud Pidgeon, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance president and CEO. “The USSA will be working to kill this bill should it gain any traction.”

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Major Policy Review Appears to Shortchange Sport and Recreational Fishing

Concern That Obama Administration Management Plan Could Limit Angling Access
10/16/09



The Obama Administration recently released a management plan for the oceans and Great Lakes that could have a huge negative impact on fishing in coastal areas.

The plan is called the Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The policies outlined in the report will govern federal ocean and Great Lakes waters. The report focuses on shifting to “ecosystem-based management as a foundational principle for the comprehensive management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.”

Of particular concern to many organizations is the absence of any reference in the report to the positive impact recreational anglers have on aquatic conservation. Instead, it raises an alarm as to what the framework for zoning in these waters will be when the final report is presented to the president by early December. The consequence of that framework could result in severe restrictions including the elimination of many popular, historically important recreational fishing areas.

Numerous conservation organizations have publicly stated their concerns over this plan. In a recent press release, Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association, stated, “the sportfishing community believes that recreational activities such as responsibly-managed and regulated recreational fishing deserve full consideration and incorporation in the administration’s ocean and Great Lakes policy.” He went to conclude, “Providing the angling public with access to public resources is no less important than conserving those resources.”

“We hope the Administration recognizes that sportsmen are the greatest conservationists and will not accept any proposals shutting off large tracts of coastal territory to them,” stated Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president for government affairs. “If access for fishing becomes overly restricted, there will be a significant decline in resources dedicated to future conservation.”

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Sportsmen: Beware of Anti’s “Astroturfing”9/3/09


Anti-hunters have begun using a new tactic to advance their agenda: “astroturfing.” This term is used to describe incidents where an internet user claims to be someone or something they are not for the purpose of posting comments onto online forums, news stories, and blogs. The anti’s often will do this on pro-sportsmen forums and news sites, acting as hunters, trying to create divisions within the community.

A recent example appears to have taken place in North Dakota as a commenter to a Bismarck Tribune story was found to be using a computer registered to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the largest anti hunting group in the U.S.

The news story dealt with a petition in North Dakota to ban preserve hunting in the state. In the comments section, a person named “Will” appeared to pose as a hunter and stated, " Any real hunter wouldn't have an issue with this - hunting is supposed to be a sport, what sport or skill is it, to kill an animal that is raised for you to kill? Growing up I remember the thrill of the chase. The chase mind you, that doesn't involve fences. Anyone who thinks this will snowball is an idiot - it's practices like this that give hunters a bad name.”

Another commenter noted that they had seen the exact same post by “Will” over at a pro- sportsman blog where he had been exposed by the blog’s administrator after discovering that the IP address used by “Will” was registered to HSUS.

These efforts are becoming more frequent as increasing numbers of people communicate online. Sportsmen should be aware that the anti’s are taking advantage of this to attack certain forms of hunting and divide the community. This is particularly detrimental as some media and others look to forums to gauge a particular group’s thoughts on a subject. This in turn will make it more difficult for sportsmen to stand together as the anti’s move forward with its larger agenda to ban all hunting.