The Canadian Cervid Council was invited to attend the meeting of the International Association of Fish and wildlife Agencies Animal Use Issues Committee on September 19, 2002 by Bob Carmichael, Chairman. Dr. Terry Church and Ray Sharp traveled to Big Sky Resort, represent the CCC. The IAFWA is composed of all 50 State and 10 Provincial Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Most of the 500 to 600 attendees were Directors, Chiefs or senior officials in Fish and Wildlife and Federal Agencies. The Animal Use Issues Committee meeting was attended by about 60 people, including many State Directors of Fish and Wildlife.
Dr. Terry church presented " Why I Support Game Ranching" to the Committee. This presentation included 5 main arguments in favor of game ranching - economic benefits, environmental enhancements, health benefits to animals and people and wildlife benefits.
The opposing view was presented by Jim Posewitz, former Conservation Officer in Montana and founder of Orion - The Hunter's Institute. His presentation and handout material was almost totally focused on "penned hunting" and the privatization of wildlife which he and many others claim will be " the end of wildlife" as we know it today. A question and comment session followed the two presentations.
the discussions revealed that Fish and Wildlife Agencies had three main concerns with game ranching :
- Captive or penned hunting;
- CWD in both captive and wild cervids; and
- Illegal movements of farmed or captive cervids and the enforcement actions required.
During the discussions, Dr. Terry church also made the following points:
- People rob banks, but does this mean that we should do away with all banks ?,
- Hunters have created the demand for trophy animal hunts on game ranches, not game ranchers!,
- Why is outfitting and the sale of hunts of wild animals on either private or public lands not considered to be privatization or placing a value on wildlife?.
There were also comments made that " the legitimate game ranch / farm activities of producing animals, game meats, antler, agri-tourism and other by-products really do not concern us, but the illegal movement of cervids between States does". Also, if the game ranching industry was able to help us with stopping the illegal movement of animals, we would really appreciate it !
In summary, the efforts and cost to attend the meeting and present our position was productive and worthwhile. As an industry, we should follow-up with a well written and researched position paper on game ranching/farming. Apparently, the Animal Use Issues Committee will develop a position paper on game ranching by the next annual meeting of the IAFWA.
Dr. Terry Church and Ray Sharp also attended the Fish and Wildlife Health Task Force meeting on Sept. 20 to deal with CWD. Dr. Glen Zebarth also attended representing NAEBA.