September 15, 2019: Hunting and Fishing Day

WHEREAS, Michigan has a rich and storied tradition of hunting and fishing, which dates back further than the state itself and carries forward to this day; and,

 

WHEREAS, Michigan’s sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support the establishment of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to conserve fish, wildlife, and their habitat and,

 

WHEREAS, license fees have helped fund state efforts to provide for healthy and sustainable natural resources; and,

 

WHEREAS, upon realizing license fees alone were insufficient to restore and sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations, sportsmen and women supported self-imposed excise taxes on hunting, fishing, and boating equipment to raise additional conservation funds; and,

 

WHEREAS, to this day, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is funded primarily by sportsmen and women through this American System of Conservation Funding, a “user pays, public benefits” approach that is widely recognized as the most successful model of fish and wildlife management in the world; and,

 

WHEREAS, Michigan’s nearly 2 million hunters and anglers support the state’s economy through spending more than $11.2 billion annually while engaged in their pursuits, and this spending supports over 171,000 jobs in Michigan; and,

 

WHEREAS, a reduction in hunting and fishing license sales has the potential to impact wildlife conservation and management; and,

 

WHEREAS, Michigan Hunting and Fishing Day promotes awareness of the importance of hunting and fishing activities in Michigan and recognizes the immense contributions of hunters and anglers to wildlife conservation;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 15, 2019, as Hunting and Fishing Day in Michigan.