WHEREAS, special interest groups who are opposed to legitimate hunting and fishing endeavors have become politically active and have pledged to end hunting and fishing early in this century, and
WHEREAS, Louisiana hunters and fishermen have made a substantial contribution to fish and wildlife conservation through license fees and special taxes that fund a major portion of fish and wildlife management, law enforcement, and habitat restoration and preservation in the state, and
WHEREAS, hunters and fishermen contribute to the local and national economy through traditional annual expenditures that funnel billions of dollars into the economy, without which the health of the economy would diminish greatly, and
WHEREAS, amending the Louisiana Constitution to guarantee citizens the right to hunt and fish will protect Louisiana traditions of hunting and fishing, sustain the economic benefits associated with hunting and fishing activities, and preserve hunting and fishing as important tools of effective fish and wildlife management, and
WHEREAS, at its 54th annual meeting in Metairie in 1993 the Louisiana Wildlife Federation adopted a resolution urging that the state constitution be amended to provide “that the right of individuals to hunt, trap and fish, subject to the licensing of the State, shall not be infringed.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation reiterates its support for amending the State Constitution to protect the right to hunt, fish and trap, subject to regulations and restrictions prescribed by law, and urges the Governor and Legislature to support such an amendment.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, 62nd Annual Meeting, March 4, 2001 in Many, Louisiana.