Md Coalition and HB664
 

Thursday, February 21, 2002

Hunters, anglers must wait a little longer to testify. Hearing concerning new approach to wildlife management now March 8

MICHAEL A. SAWYERS
Times-News Staff Writer

FREDERICK -- Hunters and fishermen upset with the way the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is managing fish and game will have to wait to testify at the General Assembly in favor of a bill that would, they believe, take the politics out of wildlife management.

A House Bill 664 hearing slated for today has been changed to March 8 in front of the House Environmental Matters Committee.

"This effort began more than a year ago and has included the mailing of 10,000 postcards of protest to delegates and senators," said Steve Palmer, a Keedysville resident and chairman of the Maryland Coalition for Responsible Wildlife Management.

The bill would create a fish and game commission made up of Maryland citizens with backgroundin hunting and fishing. It is an effort, according to Palmer, to take emotion out of wildlife management.

Jim Gilford, outdoor writer for the Frederick News-Post and a longtime member of the state's Sport Fisheries Advisory Council, agrees.

"When emotion takes over in wildlife management, you can have a disaster," Gilford said Tuesday at a Frederick press conference concerning the legislation.

A mirror-image bill in the Senate (817) is not yet scheduled for a hearing.

"Twenty-six other states have independent authorities that base their management policies upon proven, scientific methods," said Larry Albright, owner of Albright's Gun Shop in Easton. "We are not inventing the wheel here." The coalition modeled its proposed commission on the one in Pennsylvania.

"All the changes in secretaries and top level administrators has demoralized the DNR staff people," Palmer said. "They know what good biology is, but they are afraid to speak up. They are afraid they will lose their jobs."

Coalition supporters say they are concerned about mismanagement or lack of management of a number of wildlife and fish species.

"A big problem is with the bears," said Ira Click of Frederick County. "The bears are in Western Maryland, so why should the DNR ask people on the Eastern Shore how to manage them?" Concerns about trout, deer and geese exist as well, coalition members said.

Palmer and his fellow coalition members say they are prepared for both victory and defeat for House Bill 664.

"In any event, we won't go away," said Lee Osmansky of Allegany County. "We'll be a hardy perennial."

The DNR has not yet taken a position on the bill, according to spokesman John Surrick.

Copyright © 2001 Cumberland Times-News

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

If anyone in western Md would like to go on March 8th and show your support for HB664 a bus will be leaving Hagerstown and stopping in Frederick and at Rt32. It is free of charge.

You can email me at [email protected] for more details.

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

I assume the hearing is going to be in Annapolis?

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

Yes, the hearing will be in Annapolis

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

A good article was in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. It's to long to post so I provided the link.

http://baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-s...n03mar03.story

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

The biggest concern I have is that the Governor is supposed to appoint the coalition members. Our present Gov would appoint all Peta and Fund for Animals members to the board.

RE: Md Coalition and HB664
 

Your getting the two confused.
The coalition is a new sportsmen group thats been formed to represent sportsmen in the state. We now have a website up and people can join. http://www.marylandcoalition.org/

The governor will appoint members to the Wildlife and Inland Fisheries Commission but the big difference is that the candidates must be approved by the general assembly and thats where we have a say. Currently the governor can operate DNR any way he see fit and there is absolutely nothing we can do.

I feel that Glendening manipulated the system for his personal benefit and think its foolish not to do something to avoid it being done again. Is bill HB664 the cure-all? No, but its a start.

Hope everyone isn't getting tired of reading news articles. There is alot of misinformation going around and I'm trying to keep the facts straight. Here's one from Washington Times.

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20020306-5259352.htm