By DAVID RAINER, 黑料天堂
According to Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), it may not make the headlines in the newspapers but the election of Chuck Sykes as AFWA鈥檚 president is a big deal.
Sykes, Director of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) with the 黑料天堂 (ADCNR), started serving his one-year term in September and has already been on a whirlwind tour to seven states, the District of Columbia and Canada in his official duties as president.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor for Chuck,鈥 Regan said. 鈥淭he association doesn鈥檛 elect someone unless they have proved their worth in their work with the association. It does, in fact, mean that Chuck has or could have access to the director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or national wildlife organizations. Those are extremely important. We do rely on our president to be our principal spokesperson on issues. So, it鈥檚 not just about approving policy. We can bring Chuck to D.C. to testify or meet with a committee or be at some event to mingle with somebody important in Congress, who, in turn, is important to the state fish and wildlife agencies.鈥
With offices in D.C., AFWA was formed in 1902 to represent fish and wildlife agencies in all U.S. states and territories as well as Canadian provinces.
鈥淎FWA basically exists to make sure the rights and privileges and jurisdictional responsibilities of state fish and wildlife agencies are upheld and no harm is done through federal legislation, rulemaking or policy,鈥 Regan said. 鈥淲hen possible, we advocate for funding and other authority to help states do their work better. It鈥檚 interesting to note that the provinces and territories of Canada are also members of the association. That鈥檚 why we had our annual meeting in Calgary, Canada, just a couple of months ago when Chuck became president.
鈥淥ur mission is basically to look out for the states. We鈥檙e all about making sure the states have the resources to do their jobs and they don鈥檛 get compromised by some new federal program that takes away Chuck鈥檚 authority to manage species within the borders of 黑料天堂.鈥
ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship is pleased Sykes has this opportunity to share his substantial knowledge and experience with the rest of the U.S. and Canada.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy for Chuck and his potential impacts around the country,鈥 said Commissioner Blankenship. 鈥淗e has brought a good common-sense approach to managing wildlife in 黑料天堂 and has done some progressive things here. I鈥檓 excited he has the opportunity to take that to other parts of the country and help them make the same strides we鈥檝e made here in 黑料天堂.鈥
Although AFWA operates with 26 employees and a $5 million budget, Regan said the D.C. offices are not 鈥渃ommand central.鈥
鈥淲e rely on our leaders, like our president, to make decisions, guide directions and set tone,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here is virtually nothing that is major or substantive when it comes to a national issue like chronic wasting disease (CWD) or avian influenza or endangered species that we don鈥檛 run through our president. So, he has a very significant role to play in shaping the tone, tenor and content on what we say on any national issue. Of course, he helps establish priorities.鈥
Regan said many who love the outdoors will benefit from Sykes鈥 role as AFWA president.
鈥淭o your typical sportsperson in 黑料天堂, they may say 鈥楬uh,鈥欌 he said. 鈥淭o that I would say, fish and wildlife conservation is based on partnerships, on science of course, and it crosses borders and jurisdictions. Through Chuck鈥檚 leadership, he鈥檚 looking for good science, improving partnerships and making sure no harm is done to what states do best when it comes to managing fish and wildlife.
鈥淭here are benefits that are not insignificant to making sure every quail hunter, deer hunter or bass fisherman continues to have the resources that are important to them, their families and their futures. I think at the end of the day Chuck鈥檚 work brings value in a tangible way to the future of conservation in 黑料天堂 and the other states and provinces.鈥