WHEREAS, the public utilizes Louisiana’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) for many reasons, including gun hunting, archery hunting, fishing, photography, seeking solitude, etc., and
WHEREAS, some of these valid public uses seem to conflict with other valid public uses, and
WHEREAS, the increasing human population is likely to increase its utilization of WMAs in the future, and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has implemented increasing restrictions on terrestrial vehicles (especially ATVs) in recent years on WMAs to safeguard natural resources and to cater to the myriad desires of the public, and
WHEREAS, these restrictions on terrestrial vehicles (especially ATVs) generally have been received favorably by the public, and
WHEREAS, personal motorized watercraft manufacturers are increasing production (similar to the phenomenon of ATVs decades ago), and pressure undoubtedly will build on LDWF by special interest groups to open more WMA aquatic areas for these personal motorized watercraft, and
WHEREAS, LDWF should be proactive in implementing regulations for terrestrial and aquatic areas of WMAs to safeguard natural resources and to cater to the myriad desires of the public.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation supports the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in its attempts to regulate personal motorized watercraft in ways that provide maximum benefit for the myriad, often conflicting, public uses on WMAs and to safeguard the natural resources.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in Convention Assembled, March 20, 2011 in Alexandria, Louisiana