Director Steven A. Williams
at the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Theme: "Holding today's wildlife in trust for the future -- learning from yesterday's true-life adventures."
Albuquerque, NM

July 15, 2002

It's an incredible honor to be here today, especially since I feel I am amongst old friends. I've spent 16 years of my career working for state fish and wildlife agencies, and some of my fondest memories come from my experiences as a state game biologist. As the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I'm grateful for the opportunity to offer my views from a new perspective.

I've been on the job now for about six months, and I realize I still have much to learn. But I did come to the office with some clear ideas in mind. Earlier today, I spoke for the first time to Fish and Wildlife Service employees of the Southwest Region, many of whom are headquartered here in Albuquerque, and their new Regional Director, Dale Hall. I'd like to reiterate to you what I've said to all of them: those of us in the wildlife management profession must look back at the lessons of the past in preparing for the future.

As the theme of this conference implies, it will pay to look back, before moving forward. Theodore Roosevelt was a legendary conservation leader. As an avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. And he recognized the detrimental impact of market hunting and the reckless attitudes that led to the disappearance of the great buffalo herds and to the eventual extinction of the passenger pigeon. Throughout his life, he embodied the spirit of the original conservationist; and we must continue to nurture this spirit.

Like Roosevelt did, I enjoy hunting -- and I'd like to share with you some observations about the sport that I've made over the years, not only as someone who loves to hunt, but also as a wildlife manager. Hunting, I think, is perhaps more important to wildlife management now than it has ever been before.

To paraphrase Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife management: "There are two spiritual dangers in not hunting. One is the danger of supposing that dinner comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace."

Those of us who hunt hold in our hearts a deep respect, understanding, and appreciation for nature. For this reason, hunting has tremendous relevance today, especially for those who wish to conserve America's wildlife heritage.

Because we live in an increasingly urbanized environment, more and more people fall under the illusion that their well being is somehow separate from that of the natural world -- an illusion that threatens to jeopardize the well-being of the natural world. Hunters and the sport of hunting have the power to dispel that illusion.

Unfortunately, we are facing a decline in hunting participation in this country. Our traditional financial, social, and political support for hunting is challenged. Throughout the history of wildlife management, the hunting and shooting community has risen to the challenge and saved the day.

We must keep sight of the past as we move into the future!

In the early 1900s, when here in the United States, we began to see widespread wildlife population declines, the hunting community saw what was happening and took action. Together with other conservationists, the hunting community sounded the alarm, and great men like Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot, both avid hunters themselves, responded. With federal and state laws and regulations, and with tough law enforcement, the abuses associated with unchecked wildlife consumption were reduced, and we saw flocks of waterfowl and herds of deer rebound. And for this, the hunting community deserves the credit.

Since then, for more than half a century, hunters have contributed 4.1 billion dollars to wildlife management through the Wildlife Restoration Act, which has funded crucial activities of state fish and wildlife agencies. While the wildlife conservation mission has changed over the years, moving from game species to include non-game species, what has not changed is the hunting community's steadfast support. History has shown those of us in the wildlife management profession that wildlife conservation is important to hunters. We shouldn't forget that hunters are also important to wildlife conservation.

I believe there is a perception that, as the conservation mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service expanded to encompass non-game species – including threatened and endangered species – we may have left our hunting constituents behind. We cannot and should not abandon those who first helped establish the Service, those who supported the Service through the years, and who are now desperately needed as part of our efforts.

We must keep sight of the past as we move into the future!

As you know, every five years the Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the States, national conservation organizations, and the Census Bureau, conducts the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. I'd like to share with you some preliminary results from the 2001 survey. Last year, more than 80 million Americans – nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population – enjoyed some form of fish-and-wildlife-related recreational activity. All told, they contributed 110 billion dollars to the economy.

Of that amount, hunters contributed 21 billion dollars. Compared to 10 years ago, that is a 29 percent inflation-adjusted increase. That's the good news. The bad news is that the number of hunters is in decline. In 2001, 13 million Americans enjoyed hunting, a 7 percent drop compared to 10 years ago.

We need to re-energize the sport by welcoming and encouraging new participants. That is where youth, woman, and minority shooting and hunting recruitment programs come in. Hunter recruitment programs need to keep up with America's changing demographics. At the Fish and Wildlife Service, we are ready to help. Our Federal Aid program continues to provide hunters' dollars to state wildlife managers. This year, 28.7 million dollars are being apportioned for hunter education, with an additional 7.5 million available in section 10 money to enhance these programs.

While the federal government can provide some funding, it is up to the states to develop innovative hunting and shooting programs that contribute to hunter recruitment and wildlife conservation on-the-ground. There are many successful state programs out there that make very good models. From my experience with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, I can give you two notable examples. The first is a hunter recruitment program called "Pass It On." The program is still fairly new but by providing mentors, youth hunting seasons, shooting opportunities, and equipment, it is becoming increasingly popular with Kansas youth. The other is the Walk-In Hunting Areas program. This program provides landowners financial incentives to conserve natural habitat and public access to private property. By doing so, it links landowners with hunters and gets landowners interested in wildlife conservation.

As the states look to make things happen on-the-ground, let me offer a couple of thoughts on things we need to do to reverse the declining trend in hunter numbers. First, we need to develop more shooting ranges to increase firearm training and shooting opportunities. Just like wildlife is being displaced by urban sprawl, so are shooting ranges. We must find ways to alleviate conflicts and make room for this element of hunter education. Second, we need to continue development of new technology to serve as an alternative delivery system, such as CD and Internet-based instruction and 3-D hunting simulators, which provide solid shooting instruction. Most importantly, we need to develop hunter education, not only as training on ethics and safe and responsible firearm handling, but as a portal, an open door to the actual hunting and shooting experience.

That's certainly one way to keep sight of the past as we move into the future!

Let's not forget about angling too -- which, like hunting, boasts an impressive role in conservation history, yet now faces its own set of challenges. During my tenure, I am determined to strengthen the Fish and Wildlife Service's commitment to both recreational fishing and aquatic resource conservation.

Toward that end, one of my key areas of concern is our Fisheries Program and how it can help overcome the degradation of our nation's aquatic resources. Coming from a background in several state agencies, I know first-hand how bad the crisis is for fish and other aquatic resources.

Consider the following:

• More than a third of the nation's fish are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
• Fish consumption advisories rose by 70 percent between 1993 and 1996.
• More than 45 percent of the nation's endangered species live in water, and, with the exception of the alligator, not one has been delisted.

These problems affect more than fish. They threaten the activities fish support, such as recreational fishing and the more than $ 35 billion economic impact recreational anglers and angling have on the U.S. economy. They affect the availability of safe places to fish, swim and boat, birdwatch and picnic. They affect safe water supplies. In other words, if the fish or the habitat is sick, it affects us in many ways.

It's well-known that our hatcheries have been suffering from years of under-funding and maintenance needs. Such issues are precisely the subject of a new report published by The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council called "A Partnership Agenda For Fisheries Conservation." It represents an unprecedented effort on the part of the Service, States, Tribes and other partners interested in fish and aquatic resource conservation to begin the process of repositioning our Fisheries Program for success in addressing current and future aquatic resource threats.

I congratulate the Council for its lead role in the difficult task of developing and championing this report. With key input from this report, the Service is working hard to develop a clear plan to support and guide the future efforts of our skilled and passionate fisheries professionals who are out there on conservation's front lines.

I know the Service is perceived by some as having strayed from its support of recreational fishing. I want you to know I support recreational fishing. Our aquatic resources are facing many difficult challenges, and our Federal fisheries program is suffering from years of flat budgets and disagreements among Congressional staffs and the government's green eyeshade people about what the Fisheries program should focus on. With the help of the Partnership Council, I believe we are making progress to resolve these issues.

As I've said, we must keep sight of the past as we move into the future!

Our predecessors -- people like Roosevelt -- knew the importance of the outdoors as a place for humans and wildlife alike, and the challenge of striking a sustainable balance. It was in fact the market hunting of water birds for their plumage that led Roosevelt in 1903 to set aside the 3-acre Pelican Island in Florida as a "preserve and breeding ground for native birds." In doing so, he initiated what became the National Wildlife Refuge System, and what I consider one of the largest feathers in the Service cap. From his vision, the Refuge System has grown to encompass 538 National Wildlife Refuges, more than 94 million acres of important wildlife habitats that provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation.

In fact, many refuges offer first-rate hunting and angling opportunities; and under the Refuge Improvement Act of 1997, both activities were identified as a priority public use, and I am committed to expanding them throughout the refuge system wherever they are appropriate with refuge purposes.

I'd like to close with an invitation. In 2003, the Fish and Wildlife Service is celebrating the National Wildlife Refuge System's centennial. As refuges take a national spotlight during the centennial celebration, it is a great opportunity for States, and other partners, to highlight the contributions they've made to conservation, to reach out to new segments of the public, and to work with us to instill the kind of respect and love for outdoors that has inspired conservation since the beginning. In commemorating the past, we can also begin forging the future.

Thank you.