Qualifying Hunting and Fishing as the Preferred Means of Managing Wildlife: A Potentially Dangerous Ballot Initiative that Provides Little Protection to Hunters and Fishermen

In November, Florida voters will decide if hunting and fishing should be protected in the state constitution. While many people like the idea, the amendment could make hunting and fishing the main way to control wildlife. This might make it easier to allow hunting before trying other ways to protect animals. If passed, this change could have a big impact on wildlife in Florida. It has caused a lot of debate about the best way to protect animals while still allowing hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing have been important to Florida for a long time, providing food and fun, and helping to protect wildlife. To make sure these activities are always allowed, a new law is being proposed to make hunting and fishing constitutional rights in Florida. The law would also say that hunting and fishing are the best ways to manage wildlife, even though some people think other methods might work better for certain animals. HJR 1157 is a proposed amendment to Florida’s constitution that aims to protect hunting and fishing rights. Supporters say hunting and fishing bring in a lot of money for Florida and are a big part of our state’s history. They’re worried about attempts in other states to ban hunting and fishing, and want to make sure Florida doesn’t do the same. However, there’s no evidence that hunting and fishing are in danger of being outlawed in Florida. The amendment wouldn’t change the rules for hunting and fishing – you’d still need a permit and have to follow the rules set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. So, the amendment might not be necessary. This part of the Florida Constitution wants to make hunting and fishing the preferred way to manage wildlife. This could lead to more hunting and fishing, and make it harder to change the rules. It could also put animals like the Florida black bear at risk. This amendment could limit the government’s ability to make changes to hunting and fishing rules, even if it’s needed to protect wildlife in a growing state. If the constitutional amendment in Florida is passed, it could prevent local governments from making rules about hunting and fishing. It might also affect other rules, like ones to protect animals. For example, a rule to keep people off the beach at night could be challenged if it stops fishermen from fishing. This could make it harder to protect endangered animals. Hunting and fishing are already protected in many states, including Florida, but some states specify that they should be the preferred way to manage wildlife. If Florida made hunting and fishing the preferred method, it could be bad news for the Florida black bear, which is already struggling due to development. In the past, Florida was full of forests and wildlife, but now it’s becoming more developed. This puts animals and people in danger, so we need better ways to manage wildlife. Making hunting and fishing the main way to manage wildlife could be really dangerous for Florida’s animals, especially the black bear. The Florida black bear population has had a tough time in the past, with unregulated hunting reducing their numbers in the 1970s. After years of protection, the population grew to about 3,000 bears in 2012. However, in 2015, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) held a hunt to control the bear population due to increasing human-bear interactions. The hunt ended early after reaching the target number of kills, but there were issues with hunters breaking the rules and hunting more bears than allowed. This raised concerns about the effectiveness and regulation of the hunt. The decision to hold a hunt for the bears was controversial, and better ways to manage the bear population should have been considered. In 2023, the Florida Wildlife Commission considered having another bear hunt, but many people were against it. They showed up at a meeting to speak out. The commission decided not to have a bear hunt for the rest of the year. People are worried about bears interacting with humans and other animals. The number of calls about bears has gone up, but it’s not clear if hunting helps. There are other ways to control the bear population, like using bear-proof trash cans. If a new law passes, it will only allow hunting as a way to manage bears, ignoring non-lethal options. Florida is considering making hunting and fishing a constitutional right, but it could have negative consequences for wildlife and the environment. While it may protect these practices from being banned, it also prioritizes them over the well-being of animals and their habitats. This could cause more harm than good in the long run.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/qualifying-hunting-and-fishing-as-the-preferred-means-of-managing-wildlife-a-potentially-dangerous-ballot-initiative-that-provides-little-protection-to-hunters-and-fishermen/