Protection of natural resources – focus of April 12 meeting

Wisconsin’s Spring Fish and Game Hearings will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, April 12, at the Sheboygan Falls High School auditorium, 220 Amherst Ave.

As it has happened for some 75 years, in all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, sportsmen and women will come together on the same day to vote on issues presented by the Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Conservation Congress (citizens elected in each county who develop their own issues), and resolutions presented by the general public attending these meetings. Those who care about having their voice heard and vote registered are encouraged to attend.

There are many other ways sportsmen and women can and do encourage changes in fish and game rules and its management. Included are voicing their opinion at public meetings and hearings, direct contact with the Department of Natural Resources staff or area legislators, and working with local conservation organizations or statewide groups such as the well-respected Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.

But historically, and without question, these Spring Fish and Game Hearings provide a balance for the general public against powerful special interest groups and some politicians that have their own narrow agenda. When you get 5,000, 10,000 or more Wisconsin citizens from throughout the state voting on many different and important issues, it is hard for some politician or special interest group to try to say otherwise.

The Spring Fish and Game Hearings have a great history; it protects and represents the views of both the majority and minority. Those attending get to elect delegates to represent their fish and game wishes at regional and state gatherings, and it allows many of those views to be moved forward to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Board for possible review and action.

Prior to 1937, all hunting, fishing and trapping fees, seasons, bag limits and regulations in Wisconsin were established by the state Legislature. The Legislature lacked understanding of fish and game management, promotion of deer harvests that sometimes pitted one part of the state against another, they set fish size and catch limits, were overly influenced by a wide variety of powerful special interest groups and overall found themselves in one crisis after another.

The State Conservation Commission (later the Natural Resources Board) created the Conservation Congress in 1934. By the time the Legislature stopped setting fish and game limits, the Congress was providing positive direction for the State Conservation Commission.

In 1972 Gov. Patrick Lucey signed legislation that legally recognized the Conservation Congress (Statute 15.348), to ensure that citizens would have a liaison between the Natural Resources Board and the Department of Natural Resources.

Wisconsin is a unique state when it comes to providing public impute in the area natural resources, fish and game rules, and promoting citizen involvement. Each county has five Conservation Congress delegates who are elected by those attending the spring hearings. These elected representatives meet in regional and state meetings to refine and present each area’s majority views to the state’s Natural Resources Board.

Ed Harvey, an outstanding sportsman from Sheboygan County, presently leads Wisconsin’s Conservation Congress as its chairman. He and many others will gather Monday, April 12, to vote on such issues as the raccoon season, a single opening date for fox hunting and trapping and coyote trapping, to allow scopes for muzzleloading firearms, use of the primitive Atlatl to hunt small game and much more.

Remember, the more citizen participation there is now will ensure protection of our natural resources from special interests in the future.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m., hope you can make it.