The Truth:
Wildlife is protected by the Federal
Airborne Hunting Act, which is also known as Airborne Hunting Act or
Shooting from Aircraft Act.
Approved in November
18, 1971 it "prohibits shooting or attempting to shoot or
harassing any bird, fish, or other animal from aircraft except for
certain specified reasons, including protection of wildlife, livestock,
and human life as authorized by a Federal or State issued license or
permit. States authorized to issue permits are required to file reports
with the Secretary of the Interior containing information on any permits
issued."
Alaska’s constitution requires that the
state's resources,
including its fish and wildlife, be managed for the maximum benefit of
Alaskans. Wolves and bears are very effective and efficient
predators killing up to 80% of caribou and moose that die during an
average year. Owing to dropping numbers of Caribou on the Southern
peninsula of Alaska the state deemed them a "serious conservation
concern," and members of the Alaska Board of Game voted to adopt a
predator management program.
On September 25, 2007,
Congressman George Miller (D-CA) sponsored a bill in the House, HR 3663
to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to establish additional
prohibitions on shooting wildlife from aircraft, and for other purposes.
The last action of this bill,
according to the GovTrackUS Web site is September 27, 2007
when it was referred to House subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and
Oceans.
Governor Sarah Palin
issued an official response to Congressman Miller's bill and posted a
press release on the Alaskan Governor's Office web site. Palin
stated that with this bill Congressman Miller threatens the Alaskan food
supply, that he no understanding of rural Alaska, lacks
comprehension of wildlife
management and has no appreciation for the "Tenth Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution that gives states the right to manage their own
affairs." Palin also stated that "wolf and bear populations are
extremely healthy in this state, and that predator control is intended
to create more opportunities for humans to harvest moose and caribou for
food, while maintaining healthy populations of predators."
The press release also
stated that there is no “aerial hunting” of wolves in Alaska.
Predators are competing with the natural food supply (Moose and Caribou)
of Alaskans in rural areas and the State of Alaska created what Governor
Palin called a "science-driven and abundance-based predator management
program" involving volunteers permitted to use aircraft to reduce the
predator population in specific areas only.
Palin explained the
need for the program as, "trying to increase opportunities for Alaskans
to put healthy food on their families’ dinner tables. It is not hunting
and we have never claimed that it is.”
Click
for Alaskan Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Conservation page
Click
for House Bill HR 3663
Click for the
State of Alaska press release
posted 09/09/08
