HOUSE MEMORIAL 19

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Candy Spence Ezzell

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, more than a century ago, hunters, anglers and trappers were among the first conservationists who realized America's natural resources were in peril and could not sustain unregulated harvest and habitat destruction; and

     WHEREAS, hunters, anglers and trappers took it upon themselves to support laws that stopped excessive harvesting of fish and wildlife, established game and fish agencies to protect fish and wildlife and their habitats and supported special fishing and hunting license fees to help fund the new agencies' efforts to provide for healthy natural resources for future generations; and

     WHEREAS, the house of representatives then and now recognizes that the primary authority to protect and manage fish and resident wildlife resides in the state fish and wildlife agencies; and

     WHEREAS, the user-pay-public benefit system became known as the wildlife and sport fish restoration program, which began seventy-five years ago with the passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act in 1937, and then was bolstered with the passage of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1950, later expanded by the Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Sport Fish Restoration Act 1984; and

     WHEREAS, the combined contribution of the wildlife and sport fish restoration programs to state fish and wildlife agencies exceeds thirteen billion dollars ($13,000,000,000) since 1939 (the first year money was distributed to the states), which is more than any other single conservation effort in American history and which constitutes, collectively, the American system of conservation funding; and

     WHEREAS, the contributions in New Mexico amount to one-third of the budget of the department of game and fish; and

     WHEREAS, the manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and hunting, fishing and boating equipment have collected excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, manufactured fishing tackle, electric trolling motors, marine electronics and motorboat fuel and distributed these funds to the states through the United States fish and wildlife service; and

     WHEREAS, the manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and hunting, fishing and boating equipment have supported the wildlife and sport fish restoration program and continue to exhibit a spirit of cooperation with the state fish and wildlife agencies; and

     WHEREAS, this cooperative partnership between industry, hunters, anglers, trappers, boaters, recreational shooters, the United States fish and wildlife service and state natural resource agencies has resulted in the most successful model of fish and wildlife management in the world, restoring populations from coast to coast;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor be requested to issue a proclamation recognizing the anniversary of the wildlife and sport fish restoration program on the seventy-fifth anniversary of America's hunters, anglers, trappers, boaters, recreational shooters, industry, state fish and wildlife agencies and the United States fish and wildlife service playing a leading role in restoring healthy populations of fish, wildlife and other natural resources supported by the American system of conservation funding; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the director of the department of game and fish, the New Mexico congressional delegation and the congressional sportsmen's foundation.