= Robin Taylor, 58 KNews from the
Senate Majority
Alaska State Legislature
Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press
Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540
Bill Puts Biology Back Into Game Management
For Immediate Release: April 1, 1998 Contact: Senator Robin Taylor, at (907) 465-3873.
Juneau -- The Senate Wednesday passed legislation to restrict the Department of Fish and Game from limiting traditional access on Alaska lands for hunting and trapping unless the specific means of access is causing biological harm to a game population. Senate Bill 262, sponsored by Senator Robin Taylor (R-Wrangell), passed by a vote of 14 to 6.
According to Taylor, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has repeatedly buckled to pressure applied by animal rights and other extremist groups who are pushing for tighter restrictions of Alaska’s lands. In a 1995 Board of Game meeting, for example, the Department urged the Board of Game to close 236 square miles to Alaska’s hunters even though the Department’s own biologists later testified there was no biological problem, no justification, nor actual conflict among user groups in the area.
"The current administration has allowed politics to prevail over biology in wildlife management. Senate Bill 262 will protect against this abuse by ensuring that wildlife regulations will be biologically justified," said Taylor.
Senate Bill 262 maintains that existing areas with controlled use restrictions will remain unchanged, but new controlled use regions may be designated only if it is biologically necessary to protect the resource.
"Limiting the way Alaskans access the land, whether it be flying, snowmachining, boating or skiing etc., is stripping them of fundamental and traditional rights. Unless there is a biological justification for limiting access to protect game populations from harm, Senate Bill 262 ensures that user groups will not be denied access for hunting and trapping," Taylor said.
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Broadcast Note: Radio Actualities are
available by calling 800/478-6540.
= Robin Taylor, 58 K