Leveraging fear of COVID-19, the Center for Biological Diversity and Natural Resources Defense Council have petitioned the Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ban all import into the United States and interstate transport within the United States of all wild mammals and almost all birds – including all parts, such as hides and horns, even if properly processed – while also creating a comprehensive chain-of-custody system for all plants and animals imported or exported from the U.S.
“This is a ridiculous petition bordering on hysteria by radical animal-rights organizations. The Sportsmen’s Alliance will fight this petition, whose only goal is to advance an extreme agenda by stoking fears around COVID-19, every step of the way,” said Bruce Tague, vice president of government affairs as Sportsmen’s Alliance. “These extremists are grasping at any thread to end sustainable wildlife management practices around the globe and in the U.S. They should be ashamed of themselves. By destroying economic incentives for nations to safeguard wild mammal and bird habitat, the actions of the CBD and NRDC will have the exact opposite impact on wildlife and conservation than what they’re saying. Wildlife will suffer. It’s proven.” —Sportsmen’s Alliance
In Episode 204 of District of Conservation, Gabriella is rejoined by Bruce and Brian from Sportsmen’s Alliance to discuss two petitions circulating – one to the CDC, the other to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – that would fundamentally alter hunting, especially interstate transport of game meat and taxidermy, if enacted. Unsurprisingly, they originate from the Center for Biological Diversity and Natural Resources Defense Council. The guys discuss the implications of these two petitions and also highlight the problems with Oregon IP 13.
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