U.S. wildlife managers eye more hunting, fishing at national wildlife refuges
By Laura Zuckerman (Reuters) - U.S. wildlife managers proposed on Tuesday allowing the first migratory bird hunt at a wildlife refuge in Oregon and opening or expanding sport fishing and hunting at other protected sites in states including California and North Dakota. The push to provide more hunting and fishing opportunities at 21 of 560 federal wildlife set-asides in the nation is designed to lure additional sportsmen to the refuge system, which adds roughly $2.4 billion a year to local and national economies and supports more than 35,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under the proposal, a waterfowl hunt geared at children and teens would be allowed for the first time this fall at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge on the outskirts of Portland. The hunt would take place on 50 acres (20 hectares) otherwise closed to the public and several miles (km) from its visitor center, hiking trails, heavily trafficked roads and neighborhoods, wildlife managers said. The proposed hunting program aims to recruit young people to the sport, which is permitted to some degree at 335 federal wildlife refuges in the nation, at a time when some states are reporting fewer children and teens taking up the activity. "The (Fish and Wildlife) Service is committed to strengthening and expanding hunting and fishing opportunities," Dan Ashe, the agency's director, said in a statement. He said such pursuits benefited local economies and fostered an appreciation for nature. But Steve Pedery, conservation director for Oregon Wild, said wildlife watching has supplanted hunting as a top activity reported by outdoor enthusiasts in the state. He said the conservation group was not against hunting but has concerns that federal and state wildlife managers are underestimating the growing popularity and economic benefits brought by non-consumptive activities on public lands. Pedery also raised questions about how shooting will play in a refuge that is roughly a dozen miles (19 km) southwest of Oregon's largest city and part of its metro area. "You may have visitors go to the refuge for bird-watching and instead hear shotgun blasts, which I'm not sure is appropriate in suburban Portland," he said. The proposal floated on Tuesday by the Fish and Wildlife Service also would see sport fishing for the first time at four refuges in North Dakota and would expand big-game hunting at the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge in California. Public comment on the plan must be submitted by July 13. (Reporting by Laura Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Sandra Maler)
