Comments Urged on the California Fish & Wildlife Strategic Vision Project

By Tom Pederson, Legislative Liaison

Sacramento, CA –-(Ammoland.com)- Public comments are now being taken on the strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC).

If you have not commented on the Draft Interim Strategic Vision, it is not too late. Comments are most effective if received by December 16, 2011, but may still be submitted after that date.

There are fifty-one stakeholder groups represented in the CFWSV process, and the hunting community is in the minority.

The stakeholder groups include commercial fishing, recreational fishing, hunting, non-profit conservation, non-consumptive recreation, aquaculture, landowners, science, education, labor, agriculture and ranching, water supply and delivery, forestry, water quality, business/industry and environmental justice.

Your personal comments are important to the future management of California’s fish and wildlife resources. It is important that the strategic vision promote sport hunting as a recreational opportunity, as well as a wildlife management tool in California. Please take the time to review the draft at www.vision.ca.gov/ or call (916) 653-5656 for a copy of the draft.

Send your comments by email using an online public comment form: StrategicVision@resources.ca.gov), or by mail:

Background:
In September 2010 Assembly Bill 2376 (Huffman) was signed into law, requiring the California Natural Resources Agency to convene a committee to develop and submit to the Governor and California State Legislature, before July 1, 2012, a strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC). The California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Project is intended to establish a strategic vision for DFG and F&GC that addresses, among other things, improving and enhancing their capacity and effectiveness in fulfilling their public trust responsibilities for protecting and managing the state’s fish and wildlife.

As part of the project a blue ribbon citizen commission and a stakeholder advisory group are supporting the executive committee in developing three deliverables: A draft interim strategic vision in November 2011, an interim strategic vision in February 2012, and a strategic vision by July 1, 2012.

The California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Executive Committee has released the draft interim strategic vision for public review. This document is the first draft of potential recommendations for a strategic vision for the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Fish and Game Commission (F&GC) that will be presented to the Governor and California State Legislature in February 2012.

This first draft of the strategic vision contains two important elements that give the public a chance to further engage in a dialogue about the future of DFG and F&GC:

Chapter 3 is a draft interim framework for a strategic vision, where potential core values, underlying principles, goals, and objectives are identified and intended to initiate a public conversation. Reviewers of the draft interim strategic vision are encouraged to focus on chapter 3 as it will form the foundation for a future strategic vision and such review will best inform the reader’s understanding of the direction of the visioning process.

Appendix B presents diverse preliminary ideas about improving the function and structure of DFG and F&GC. The numerous and sometimes conflicting ideas in the tables emphasizes the draft nature of the product intended to initiate public dialogue.

The ideas in this draft document have not been finalized in any way and are meant for discussion purposes only. For more information on the California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision Project visit www.vision.ca.gov/.

The California Rifle and Pistol Association “CRPA,” founded in 1875, is dedicated to defending the rights of law-abiding citizens to responsibly use firearms for self-defense and the defense of their loved ones, for sport, and for all other legal activities. CRPA is the official state association of the National Rifle Association. A California non-profit association, CRPA is independently directed by its own Board of Directors. CRPA’s members include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, professionals, firearm experts, the general public, and loving parents. CRPA has always worked to reduce the criminal misuse of firearms and firearms accidents, while actively promoting and organizing the competitive shooting sports and Olympic training programs in California. We are proud to say that many CRPA competitors are among the best in the world.