Cal Outdoor Heritage Alliance
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2006
- Messages
- 89
- Reaction score
- 7
To: COHA Action Alert Team Members and Other Interested Parties
Subject: AB 815 (Berryhill) – Prohibition on Local Governments Regulating Hunting or Fishing Activities
Date: June 8, 2007
Your assistance is again needed to support AB 815 (Berryhill), a much-needed state legislative measure that would prevent cities and counties from adopting local ordinances that restrict or ban hunting and fishing activities.
In recent years, a number of cities and counties have inappropriately attempted to insert themselves into the regulation of fish and game, often at the behest of animal rights groups. Notable examples include the cities of Morro Bay, Hercules and Mountain View, each of which has attempted to ban waterfowl hunting on publicly-owned lands or waters. AB 815 would help rein in these local governments by prohibiting them from adopting ordinances which impact the taking of fish and game unless it is for legitimate public safety reasons. The bill would also help to ensure that science—not emotion or anti-hunting sentiments—drives our hunting and fishing regulations.
Despite significant animal rights groups’ opposition, AB 815 recently passed the Assembly Floor 72-3. Next stop is the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. Please send letters of support for AB 815 to members of the Committee (see below) as soon as possible. Here are some points to consider in support of the bill:
• Migratory fish and wildlife populations do not respect local government boundaries and therefore must be managed from a statewide perspective.
• The California Supreme Court has held that local cities and counties may not interfere with the management of fish and wildlife.
• The Fish and Game Commission, rather than local governments, has the scientific expertise and enforcement resources of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to successfully manage fish and game resources.
• Many state laws and regulations already exist that ensure that hunting and fishing activities do not adversely impact public safety.
• AB 815 not only ensures comprehensive, statewide control over fish and wildlife resources, but encourages greater communication between local governments and DFG.
For your convenience, a sample letter has also been provided below. Mail or fax works best. Thank you for helping to protect our hunting rights in California!
(Date)
The Honorable Darrell Steinberg, Chair
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 815 (Berryhill) - Support
Dear Senator Steinberg:
I am writing you to urge your support of AB 815 (Berryhill), which would reaffirm state control over fish and game-related matters.
This bill would help ensure that California follows a science-based, comprehensive approach to its fish and game regulations. Specifically, it would help to better conserve fish and wildlife resources by ensuring that all fish and game-related regulations are appropriately reviewed and approved by the science-based California Fish and Game Commission. Because the Commission’s statewide regulations are widely read and available to hunters and fishermen, AB 815 would facilitate greater regulatory compliance with our fish and game rules.
In addition, AB 815 would provide much-needed statutory guidance for local governments on hunting and fishing-related matters, as many cities and counties have no legal background or biological expertise on such issues. The bill would also encourage greater communication between local governments and the Department of Fish and Game, thereby minimizing the likelihood that contradictory or duplicative regulations are imposed upon stakeholders without their knowledge or input.
It should also be noted that hunting and fishing are the major impetuses for landowners in California to protect wildlife habitat, particularly as it relates to wetlands conservation. Should local governments elect to arbitrarily restrict or ban these recreational activities, many landowners would simply not participate in state or federal conservation easement or other wildlife enhancement programs—thereby significantly compromising the ability of the state and federal governments to conserve wildlife habitat on private land.
AB 815 ensures that our fish and wildlife resources are managed from a statewide, rather than local, perspective and promotes science-based wildlife conservation. Please vote “aye” on this important measure.
Sincerely,
(Your Name/Organization)
cc: Members, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee – 2007
Senator Darrell Steinberg, Chair
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.steinberg@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4116
(916) 323-2232 Fax
Senator Bob Margett, Vice Chair
State Capitol, Room 3082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.margett@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4029
(916) 324-0922 Fax
Senator Dave Cogdill
State Capitol, Room 3048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.cogdill@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4014
(916) 327-3523 Fax
Senator Dennis Hollingsworth
State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.hollingsworth@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4036
(916) 447-9008 Fax
Senator Christine Kehoe
State Capitol, Room 4038
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.kehoe@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4039
(916) 327-2188 Fax
Senator Sheila Kuehl
State Capitol, Room 5108
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.kuehl@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4023
(916) 324-4823 Fax
Senator Michael Machado
State Capitol, Room 5066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.machado@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4005
(916) 323-2304 Fax
Senator Carole Migden
State Capitol, Room 5114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.migden@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4003
(916) 445-4722 Fax
Subject: AB 815 (Berryhill) – Prohibition on Local Governments Regulating Hunting or Fishing Activities
Date: June 8, 2007
Your assistance is again needed to support AB 815 (Berryhill), a much-needed state legislative measure that would prevent cities and counties from adopting local ordinances that restrict or ban hunting and fishing activities.
In recent years, a number of cities and counties have inappropriately attempted to insert themselves into the regulation of fish and game, often at the behest of animal rights groups. Notable examples include the cities of Morro Bay, Hercules and Mountain View, each of which has attempted to ban waterfowl hunting on publicly-owned lands or waters. AB 815 would help rein in these local governments by prohibiting them from adopting ordinances which impact the taking of fish and game unless it is for legitimate public safety reasons. The bill would also help to ensure that science—not emotion or anti-hunting sentiments—drives our hunting and fishing regulations.
Despite significant animal rights groups’ opposition, AB 815 recently passed the Assembly Floor 72-3. Next stop is the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. Please send letters of support for AB 815 to members of the Committee (see below) as soon as possible. Here are some points to consider in support of the bill:
• Migratory fish and wildlife populations do not respect local government boundaries and therefore must be managed from a statewide perspective.
• The California Supreme Court has held that local cities and counties may not interfere with the management of fish and wildlife.
• The Fish and Game Commission, rather than local governments, has the scientific expertise and enforcement resources of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to successfully manage fish and game resources.
• Many state laws and regulations already exist that ensure that hunting and fishing activities do not adversely impact public safety.
• AB 815 not only ensures comprehensive, statewide control over fish and wildlife resources, but encourages greater communication between local governments and DFG.
For your convenience, a sample letter has also been provided below. Mail or fax works best. Thank you for helping to protect our hunting rights in California!
(Date)
The Honorable Darrell Steinberg, Chair
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 815 (Berryhill) - Support
Dear Senator Steinberg:
I am writing you to urge your support of AB 815 (Berryhill), which would reaffirm state control over fish and game-related matters.
This bill would help ensure that California follows a science-based, comprehensive approach to its fish and game regulations. Specifically, it would help to better conserve fish and wildlife resources by ensuring that all fish and game-related regulations are appropriately reviewed and approved by the science-based California Fish and Game Commission. Because the Commission’s statewide regulations are widely read and available to hunters and fishermen, AB 815 would facilitate greater regulatory compliance with our fish and game rules.
In addition, AB 815 would provide much-needed statutory guidance for local governments on hunting and fishing-related matters, as many cities and counties have no legal background or biological expertise on such issues. The bill would also encourage greater communication between local governments and the Department of Fish and Game, thereby minimizing the likelihood that contradictory or duplicative regulations are imposed upon stakeholders without their knowledge or input.
It should also be noted that hunting and fishing are the major impetuses for landowners in California to protect wildlife habitat, particularly as it relates to wetlands conservation. Should local governments elect to arbitrarily restrict or ban these recreational activities, many landowners would simply not participate in state or federal conservation easement or other wildlife enhancement programs—thereby significantly compromising the ability of the state and federal governments to conserve wildlife habitat on private land.
AB 815 ensures that our fish and wildlife resources are managed from a statewide, rather than local, perspective and promotes science-based wildlife conservation. Please vote “aye” on this important measure.
Sincerely,
(Your Name/Organization)
cc: Members, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee – 2007
Senator Darrell Steinberg, Chair
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.steinberg@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4116
(916) 323-2232 Fax
Senator Bob Margett, Vice Chair
State Capitol, Room 3082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.margett@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4029
(916) 324-0922 Fax
Senator Dave Cogdill
State Capitol, Room 3048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.cogdill@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4014
(916) 327-3523 Fax
Senator Dennis Hollingsworth
State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.hollingsworth@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4036
(916) 447-9008 Fax
Senator Christine Kehoe
State Capitol, Room 4038
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.kehoe@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4039
(916) 327-2188 Fax
Senator Sheila Kuehl
State Capitol, Room 5108
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.kuehl@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4023
(916) 324-4823 Fax
Senator Michael Machado
State Capitol, Room 5066
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.machado@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4005
(916) 323-2304 Fax
Senator Carole Migden
State Capitol, Room 5114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator.migden@sen.ca.gov
(916) 651-4003
(916) 445-4722 Fax
