Conservation Update

July 2007

Announcements:

  • The FFF wants to know what activities are happening in your Club or Council. You are encouraged to relay conservation related projects to the Conservation Coordinator.
  • Next deadline for our Conservation Grants program is November 15, 2007. The application and guidelines can be found on our website.

Postiions & Letters

  • Letter to Senators Bingaman and Specter encouraging proposed wildlife conservation funding to climate change legislation. The proposal authorizes new resources to address the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife.
  • Letter to Rahall and other ranking members of the House Natural Resources Committee and sub-committees with general support of the National Landscape Conservation System Act to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations.
  • Open Letter to Congress from a unified voice of hunters and anglers on urging specific recommendations that considers the needs of wildlife with the upcoming comprehensive energy legislation.
  • Letter to Senators Reid and McConnell to take action on modernizing the 135 year old mining law with the reform of the General Mining Law of 1872.
  • Submitted comments to the Everglades National Park (ENP) Superintendent on the ENP General Management Plan.
  • Submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding proposed regulation changes for small boat permitting.

Conservation Committee Activities:

  • In development stages: the Native Fish Refuges Policy Document
  • Revision and creation of documents to streamline Conservation Grant Process

Legal Action:

Submitted a 60-day notice of intent to sue the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) over their recent decision to not federally list fluvial grayling under the Endangered Species Act. In response to a petition from environmental and conservation groups submitted in the early 1990s, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined in 1994 that protecting the grayling as an endangered species was "warranted but precluded" by other listing actions of a higher priority. The recent ruling by the FWS effectively removed the grayling from further consideration for listing as an endangered or threatened species. The earlier decision determined the Upper Missouri River population of fluvial arctic grayling, which has been reduced to less than 5% of its historic range and now occurs only in a short stretch of the Big Hole River, qualifies as a distinct population segment (DPS) in 1994. This reversal, which was not supported by the agency s grayling biologists in Montana, violates the Endangered Species Act by failing to rely on the best available information and is arbitrary and capricious. The notice was submitted with several conservation groups.

Staff Activities and Program Updates:

  • Preparation for upcoming 42nd Annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave in Livingston (see attached schedule of Conservation at Conclave).
  • Preparation for upcoming 42nd Annual International Fly Fishing Show and Conclave in Livingston (see attached schedule of Conservation at Conclave).
  • Directed daily activities for 2 FFF summer interns.
  • FFF Headquarters hosted community outreach event where FFF staff and public could discuss issues with Senator Max Baucus (MT-D).
  • Prepared press releases and outreach materials for announcement of FFF Endangered Fisheries of 2007. Announcement will occur during Conclave.
  • Conference call with WildCoast staff to discuss issues of fisheries and communication with Spanish speaking people.
  • Conference call with Isaac Walton League staff to discuss collaboration on invasive species campaigns.
  • Participated in BoatBlue Coalition conference call.
  • Participated in National Forest Foundation workshop on conservation issues affecting National Forests and Grasslands.
  • Participated in numerous conference calls as part of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Fish, Wildlife and Energy working group, Teaming with Wildlife ~ Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Sportsmen for Energy Issues.

More information on any subject can be obtained by contacting Leah Elwell, Conservation Coordinator at 406-222-9369 ext 102 or conserve@fedflyfishers.org. Please inform Leah of any errors in this report.

Posted 08.26.07