HB202

I oppose.

Opposed to this bill

Dear members of the House Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee, My comments are on behalf of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), for which I chair the New Hampshire State Leadership Team and sit on the New England Chapter Board. I am submitting comments in opposition of House Bill 202. BHA seeks to ensure North America's outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting. We support the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, which is based on the premise that wildlife is a public trust resource that should be scientifically managed and enjoyed by all Americans. Protecting and enhancing access and opportunity to public lands and waters and sound management of wildlife and wildlife habitats are top priorities to our members, and we actively strive to be a voice for wildlife and to ensure America’s public lands legacy. House Bill 202 is an effort to dismantle a proven, effective, and representative group that helps to steward our fish, wildlife, and marine resources here in the State of New Hampshire. This bill would aggregate rule making authority under one political appointee, with the political checks and balances afforded by the current structure of the Fish and Game Commission reduced to an advisory role. This opens up the regulatory process for greater political influence in the future. The current Fish and Game Commission is intentionally balanced, ensuring that no more than six of the eleven Commissioners belong to the same political party. Additionally, there is representation from each county and the coastal region in the state. A few notable accomplishments since the creation of the Commission are: - The State has acquired and now manages 124 Wildlife Management Areas adding 60,000 acres of wildlife habitat that also provide outdoor recreation opportunities for various user groups - The Non-game and Endangered Wildlife Program recently celebrated its 35th anniversary and secured two federal grants to apply to conservation of Blanding and wood turtles as well as bolstering habitat for state endangered and state threatened butterfly species - For game species, at the turn of the 20th century, whitetail deer and wild turkey populations were at critically low levels that required the Commission to pair new regulations with habitat stewardship efforts lasting decades to reverse those trends. The most recently available (2023) NH Wildlife Harvest Summary shows a stable turkey population and a thriving whitetail population that's 24% over objective New Hampshire’s natural resources and all the opportunities they provide are too valuable to be left to the political winds. I know personally and for other hunters and anglers, that my involvement in hunting and fishing benefits my mental and physical well-being, connects me to the natural world, and fosters community engagement. Also, hunting, fishing, boating, shooting and trapping are the foundation of New Hampshire’s recreational economy. In fact, according to the latest report from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, these activities combined are the biggest segment of New Hampshire’s outdoor economy. Tremendous value to people. Tremendous value to the State’s economy. Basically, just requiring only clean water, healthy habitats, and stewardship from a proven model. The only place for politics in wildlife management is to uphold one of the fundamental principles our political system is founded on - that of checks and balances - and maintain the current structure and authority of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission. I ask that you oppose House Bill 202. Thank you for your consideration of our comments,

Conservation is extremely important. I am in disbelief that decades of progress would be undone by this bill. This is absolutely unacceptable. We already feel effects of climate change and our representatives (really our employees) need to take notice and work to protect nature and wildlife we depend on as a species. Thank you

You would be doing a great disservice to the State of NH conservation efforts and successes by removing and handing over the F&G commission's oversight powers and season setting abilities to one political appointee who owes the Governor a favor. NH's conservation efforts should not be left up to one political appointee who generally does not have any knowledge of the agency they're being appointed to.

I personally believe that this is an opportunity to defecate and violate the systems work on conservation. Hunting a fishing still is crucial to our lifestyle and our traditions. We need to specifically list those who are based on science mansion and not specifically on politics or animal rights. Especially when they lack enough sufficient evidence to prove as to why we need to support this bill. Hunting, trapping and fishing still matters..

I’m am against this bill it’s not good for NH

Due to unavoidable work schedule conflicts, I am not able to make this statement in person. I strongly oppose this bill as a NH resident and outdoorsman. This bill will effectively remove any check and balances in critical decisions related to New Hampshire's conservation and hunting / fishing programs. This bill, if passed, would allow a politically appointed person to overrule our State's wildlife biologists and Fish and Game department. By changing the wording from Consent of the Fish and Game department to making the F&G Department an advisory board, the State is allowing for the specific politics of a certain appointee to overrule the informed decision of a board of educated biologists and conservation experts. The recommendations and consent of our biologists and Fish and Game officials should be the cornerstone of our conservation and hunting/fishing decisions, and this bill would allow for the dismissal of scientific evidence and biological data in favor of a single appointees beliefs to determine critical statues and regulations. We should not allow politics or a single person the ability to determine the health and well-being of our conservation programs and natural resources. The NH Fish and Game Department has a long history of successful conservation and hunting / fishing programs and allowing these programs to be influenced by a single person is irresponsible and could cause lasting damage to our State's natural resources, revenue generation, and wildlife conservation. I strongly oppose this bill and will use my vote in upcoming elections to ensure representatives who vote in favor of this bill and do not believe in our State's long-standing tradition of informed decisions regarding our Fish & Game programs and initiatives, are voted out .

Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee, The NH Fish & Game Commission works well in conjunction with the NHFG Director as a system of checks and balances for the regulation and management of game species. I vehemently disagree/oppose any removal of the Commission, as currently structured, for regulating such tasks. Thank you for your consideration!

I appreciate the work that the fish and game commission performs under its current structure and oppose HB202.

I believe Fish and game are doing a great job! With this there is no reason or intentions mentioned. I don't like how thr commission would only provide advice, which could fall on to deaf ears and do as they please!

I am deeply disturbed to see that there is any indication that rights to control the ability NH fish and game has to set seasons. We have been working for many years towards conservation and safe and hunting and if this bill is passed, it will be detrimental to the progress we have worked so hard to maintain and advance. My family hunts for food. We understand the importance of open and closed seasons and rules set in place to protect conservation efforts. I dearly hope that this bill is not passed and NH fish and game can maintain their level of power. Sincerely, a 21 year old, whom considers heavily, the importance of conservation efforts.

I believe having a political representative in place of fish and game making and enforcing laws that have to do with conservation is absolutely ridiculous. It is absolutely insulting to attack the fish and game in this way and these bills should not even be up for vote. .

This bill would cause ecologic turmoil. Fish and Game has the resources and personnel to adequately research and preserve the local ecological balance and is far more knowledgeable than the individuals in the House. It's not worth the divestment, and sounds like a pathway to Californian style legislation. It will adversely effect all sportsmen and women whom wish to hunt and fish if the state drafts legislation further limiting access to these resources.

Politicians should not have power to decide our hunting, fishing, and trapping rights.

I oppose this bill, it goes against everything the Fish and Game has done for 200 years. I don't see how this would be a benefit in the slightest. Please oppose this bill.

Fish and game has been doing to great job regulating the laws and regulation and should be left in charge. Hunt, fishing and outdoor recreation has been a way of life for many New Hampshire residents. Don't mess it up

The executive branch is overreaching left and right. They are trying to dismantle every regulatory agency of government and state departments. NH fish and game is not just looking out for hunters, but the safety and preservation of the wildlife in our State. The Trump administration has made his stance clear. He does not care about our wildlife. This needs overreach needs to be stopped!

Against this bill.

This bill would make the NH Fish and Game Commission an advisory body with no oversight function. This would undue nearly 200 years of conservation success in New Hampshire. This bill would leave my rights to hunt, fish and trap with one political appointee and allowing any new administration to end or reduce our residents ability to hunt, fish and trap without any oversight. NH Fish & Game is a well-established, knowledgeable, and neutral party organization who should continue to oversee the responsibilities they have today. A political appointee will eventually bring politics into their decision making and meeting their agenda. There is no place for that when it comes to our states long standing tradition of hunting, fishing, trapping, etc Having a single politically appointed position be the final arborator of rule and season setting threatens science-based wildlife management for not just the sportsmen and women of the Granite State, but all of New Hampshire’s residents and the scores of non-residents that travel to New Hampshire each year. I strongly urge you to oppose this bill and keep politics out of the decision making.

I do not support this bill

As someone who love the outdoors, fishes quite a bit and love how we do conservation in NH I oppose this bill.

I oppose HB 202. The sportsmen and women of NH rely on the Fish and Game Commision to over see the management of our wildlife. They are always available to hear our concerns and this system has always worked great. Thanks, Mike Kazak

I oppose this bill. To take away the rulemaking authority from the comission and executive director would spell disaster to nh wildlife and the sportsman. This would take away sciece based decisions and leave it in the hands of the legislature. Please oppose HB202 and vote inexpedient to legislate. Thank you Larry Torr

The Fish and Game department has been in charge of and has successfully managed this states wildlife for decades. Stripping them of this important responsibility would be a detriment to this state’s wildlife. This would undue years of hard work and success in the field. The wildlife and the public’s safety would both be negatively impacted without fish and games most important decision making. The Fish and Game department is one of the most important resources we have in the state of New Hampshire, and to pass this bill would be a tremendous loss.