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1 1 (October 4, 2017)

handle is hein.crs/govcgvx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.ri E.$~ & October 4, 2017 Hunting, Fishing, and Related Issues in the 115th Congress Sportsmen's and sportswomen's issues, including hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and other wildlife-associated activities, are regular matters of interest for Congress, including in the 115th Congress. At issue for Congress is increasing access to federal lands and waters, balancing recreational uses and conservation, and addressing federal land management plans. A review of natural resource provisions within selected sportsmen's bills in the 115th Congress is presented here. Millions of individuals participate in hunting, fishing, and wildlife-related activities each year in the United States, contributing billions of dollars to the economy. Every five years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sponsors a national survey to assess fishing, hunting, and wildlife- associated recreation. The most recent survey was for 2016; it added data for two new categories of activities: target shooting and archery (Figure 1). Figure I. 2016 Survey Results: Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-Associated Activities Particpiation, millions of individuals (column) Expenditures, billions of 2016 $ (line) 9 00 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. 7 0 - - -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70 .......... .......~i~i~i~ ::iiiiiiiiii -i Z :....... ...iiiiiii 6 0 :::::::::::. ....... :::.. .....::::::::::: 60 ... . .. . . . . ' ::i::i:ii. . . ........ .. . - i .... . . . . . . ..... .......iiiii ::::::::::.... .. . ..... . ....... .......:: ============ 0 ... . ...... ....... ll lll 40 20.. 2... 30 --- -- 2000 10n 2.... 2..1.2.1 Hunting :::Wildlife Watching -Archery Fishing Target Shooting Source: CRS, with data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (preliminary findings). Notes: Data reflect number of participating Americans aged 16 and older. Data for target shooting and archery are for 2015. Multiple sportsmen-related bills have been introduced in the 115th Congress, including S. 733 and H.R. 3668, as well as Division B of S. 1460. See Table 1 for a list of issues covered in these bills. S. 733, the Sportsmen's Act, was reported by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 22, 2017 (S.Rept. 115-116). S. 733 would require federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to be open to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting unless specifically closed by the respective managing agency for a justifiable reason and following the closure procedures outlined in the bill. This open unless closed provision would apply only to land open to these activities as of the date of enactment, but it would prevent future closures unless the required justifications and procedures are met. Additional sections would amend the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA; 43 U.S.C. §2301 et seq.) and Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. §669 et seq.); authorize the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee; revise fees for commercial filming on federal lands; and address the transport of bows and the use of volunteers for wildlife management in National Parks. Division B (Natural Resources) of S. 1460, the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017, contains sections similar to those in S. 733, and would also reauthorize the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA; 16 U.S.C. §4401 et seq.); prohibit regulation of fishing tackle based on lead content; and bar regulation of the lawful possession of a firearm at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) water resource development projects. H.R. 3668, the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act, was reported by the Natural Resources Committee on September 18, 2017 (H.Rept. 115- 314). Like S. 733 and S. 1460, H.R. 3668 would with some differences in specific actions-require FS and BLM lands to be managed as open unless they are specifically closed; amend FLTFA, Pittman-Robertson, and NAWCA; address commercial filming fees; prohibit regulation of lead in fishing tackle; bar regulation of firearms at USACE water resource development projects; and allow the transport of bows and volunteers in National Parks. In addition, H.R. 3668 would clarify how baiting is defined on agricultural lands for migratory gamebirds; reissue final rules for certain gray wolf populations; permit the importation of legally obtained polar bear trophies into the U.S.; enhance state control over certain fisheries; and modify the regulation of firearms, ammunition, and silencers; among other actions. Some proponents of sportsmen-related legislation believe that there should be more opportunities for hunting, fishing, and related recreation on federal lands and waters and that it is important to protect access to sportsmen's recreational opportunities in law. Others argue that these bills appear to disregard the reality that many federal lands are already managed for multiple-use purposes and worry that some K~:> gogn, q \pmpmm- , g\mm , goo g , q aS ' X 11L\ULXW1kJiN

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