"The Common Denominator"
New York Dove Hunting OPPOSES legislation that would require
any wildlife agency to compromise native wildlife by diverting funds or forcing
agencies to abandon Best Management Practices and Best Available Science when
dealing with non-native species. For example, federal appropriations in 2015
for non-lethal management of horses and burros, is almost twice the amount
appropriated for the conservation of migratory birds. This is
despite the fact that the FWS’s primary responsibilities are the Endangered Species Act and conserving
migratory species.
2015 Federal Appropriations for Horse and Burro Management (non-lethal) $80 million
2015 Federal Appropriations for Migratory Bird Conservation (game and non-game species) $ 47 million
Similarly, 2015 federal appropriations to the USDA (wildlife services) for control of nuisance wildlife is $128 million dollars.
If Senate bill 06667 and Assembly bill 08857 are signed into law, the DEC would be forced to develop and use more costly and less effective strategies in dealing with mute swans. Since this legislation blocks the Dec’s plan to eradicate this species, the cost associated with dealing mute swans would be incurred indefinitely rather than finitely; and such cost will grow as the mute swan population grows, as has occurred with managing feral horses and burros. While we agree that the captive herd of horses and burros numbering tens of thousands is indeed heart-breaking, we assert this situation is the result of bad policy. The state of NY does not need a captive flock of 50,000 mute swans in its future.
Assembly bill 1073 and Assembly bill 00851 pertain to protecting monk parakeets and changing their classification of unprotected wildlife to protected wildlife. Monk parakeets are not native and are considered to be a harmful species, thus the unprotected classification.
The rock dove, which is more commonly known as “pigeon”, is also an exotic species that is considered harmful and is classified as unprotected wildlife. However, there is an exception, the so-called Antwerp pigeon, when wearing a leg band containing a registration number, cannot be taken. However, it is not possible to discern an Antwerp pigeon from other rock doves and obviously a leg band on a bird of that size is not readily visible.
The “common denominator” among horses, burros, mute swans, monk parakeets, and rock doves; is that they all have been domesticated and kept captive or as pets.
Unless the sporting community begins to become proactive with the controversy surrounding monk parakeets and mute swans they will (literally, not figuratively) pay for it. Furthermore, the arrival of three additional dove species to NY is likely to develop into a controversy that will make establishing a mourning dove hunting season much more difficult than it already is.
The white-winged dove is native to certain parts of the USA, but not to the northeast. The Eurasian collared dove and the African collared dove, also known as the ringed turtle dove, are not native to North America. At this time, there is not much evidence that these species are associated with any deleterious impacts. However, two of the three have been domesticated and their origin in the USA is largely due to escaped and abandoned pets, as is the case with mute swans, rock doves, monk parakeets, horses and burros. (Remember the “common denominator”) Furthermore, all three of the dove species are similar in appearance to mourning doves. If anti-hunters succeed in designating these three species as protected wildlife, they can easily argue that misidentification would occur if mourning dove hunting was legalized.
The default classification is always “protected." In the hypothetical scenario which these doves reached sizable populations and were deemed invasive species by the DEC, if they have never bothered to classify them; in order to manage them or set a hunting season, the DEC would have to seek legislative approval. This legal dilemma is occurring (2014) with mute swans, even despite the fact that the mute swan has been classified as a game bird in NY since 1970.
To add to the confusion, the classification of the mute swan actually might contribute to the issue. A game status means the species is to be sustained, not eradicated. In 1970 the mute swan should have been classified as unprotected wildlife, not game. This is not germane to the issue, but as an FYI, the classification as a migratory game bird is erroneous as well, because, although native swans migrate, the mute swan does not make seasonal or weather-related journeys that qualify as migration, much the same as resident Canada geese.
A00851
Enacts the "monk parakeet protection act". NY Dove Hunting opposes this bill. NY Dove Hunting opposes the protection of deleterious, exotic species because doing so would compromise native species and their habitats and would divert conservation funds and federal grants from use for native, imperiled species. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]
A01073
Makes monk (Quaker) parakeets protected birds. NY Dove Hunting opposes this bill. NY Dove Hunting opposes the protection of deleterious, exotic species because doing so would compromise native species and their habitats and would divert conservation funds and federal grants from use for native, imperiled species. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]
A08857 and S06667
Anti-hunters and 188 New York lawmakers intend to usurp the DEC’s authority to manage an invasive species. The mute swan population is spreading and the consensus among wildlife professionals is that they are deleterious to native wildlife and wetland ecosystems. This will: 1. Set a precedent for future policy 2. Force the DEC to abandon best management practices/ best available science and use more costly strategies thereby impacting the conservation fund and general fund. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]
2015 Federal Appropriations for Horse and Burro Management (non-lethal) $80 million
2015 Federal Appropriations for Migratory Bird Conservation (game and non-game species) $ 47 million
Similarly, 2015 federal appropriations to the USDA (wildlife services) for control of nuisance wildlife is $128 million dollars.
If Senate bill 06667 and Assembly bill 08857 are signed into law, the DEC would be forced to develop and use more costly and less effective strategies in dealing with mute swans. Since this legislation blocks the Dec’s plan to eradicate this species, the cost associated with dealing mute swans would be incurred indefinitely rather than finitely; and such cost will grow as the mute swan population grows, as has occurred with managing feral horses and burros. While we agree that the captive herd of horses and burros numbering tens of thousands is indeed heart-breaking, we assert this situation is the result of bad policy. The state of NY does not need a captive flock of 50,000 mute swans in its future.
Assembly bill 1073 and Assembly bill 00851 pertain to protecting monk parakeets and changing their classification of unprotected wildlife to protected wildlife. Monk parakeets are not native and are considered to be a harmful species, thus the unprotected classification.
The rock dove, which is more commonly known as “pigeon”, is also an exotic species that is considered harmful and is classified as unprotected wildlife. However, there is an exception, the so-called Antwerp pigeon, when wearing a leg band containing a registration number, cannot be taken. However, it is not possible to discern an Antwerp pigeon from other rock doves and obviously a leg band on a bird of that size is not readily visible.
The “common denominator” among horses, burros, mute swans, monk parakeets, and rock doves; is that they all have been domesticated and kept captive or as pets.
Unless the sporting community begins to become proactive with the controversy surrounding monk parakeets and mute swans they will (literally, not figuratively) pay for it. Furthermore, the arrival of three additional dove species to NY is likely to develop into a controversy that will make establishing a mourning dove hunting season much more difficult than it already is.
The white-winged dove is native to certain parts of the USA, but not to the northeast. The Eurasian collared dove and the African collared dove, also known as the ringed turtle dove, are not native to North America. At this time, there is not much evidence that these species are associated with any deleterious impacts. However, two of the three have been domesticated and their origin in the USA is largely due to escaped and abandoned pets, as is the case with mute swans, rock doves, monk parakeets, horses and burros. (Remember the “common denominator”) Furthermore, all three of the dove species are similar in appearance to mourning doves. If anti-hunters succeed in designating these three species as protected wildlife, they can easily argue that misidentification would occur if mourning dove hunting was legalized.
The default classification is always “protected." In the hypothetical scenario which these doves reached sizable populations and were deemed invasive species by the DEC, if they have never bothered to classify them; in order to manage them or set a hunting season, the DEC would have to seek legislative approval. This legal dilemma is occurring (2014) with mute swans, even despite the fact that the mute swan has been classified as a game bird in NY since 1970.
To add to the confusion, the classification of the mute swan actually might contribute to the issue. A game status means the species is to be sustained, not eradicated. In 1970 the mute swan should have been classified as unprotected wildlife, not game. This is not germane to the issue, but as an FYI, the classification as a migratory game bird is erroneous as well, because, although native swans migrate, the mute swan does not make seasonal or weather-related journeys that qualify as migration, much the same as resident Canada geese.
A00851
Enacts the "monk parakeet protection act". NY Dove Hunting opposes this bill. NY Dove Hunting opposes the protection of deleterious, exotic species because doing so would compromise native species and their habitats and would divert conservation funds and federal grants from use for native, imperiled species. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]
A01073
Makes monk (Quaker) parakeets protected birds. NY Dove Hunting opposes this bill. NY Dove Hunting opposes the protection of deleterious, exotic species because doing so would compromise native species and their habitats and would divert conservation funds and federal grants from use for native, imperiled species. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]
A08857 and S06667
Anti-hunters and 188 New York lawmakers intend to usurp the DEC’s authority to manage an invasive species. The mute swan population is spreading and the consensus among wildlife professionals is that they are deleterious to native wildlife and wetland ecosystems. This will: 1. Set a precedent for future policy 2. Force the DEC to abandon best management practices/ best available science and use more costly strategies thereby impacting the conservation fund and general fund. Wildlife agencies should use the precautionary principle and going against "best available science" sets a bad precedent for future decisions. Uncertainty should not be used as a reason to reverse the recommendations of a conservation plan, listing, or species status.
[Detail][Text]