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June 2007 Latest News

June 18, 2007

American expenditure on wildlife

According to recent data released in preliminary form by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 87 million Americans were involved last year in wildlife-related activities including hunting, fishing and observation. The amount of money spent is said to be roughly $120 billion.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, the US Fish and Wildlife Service Director, H. Dale Hall, pointed out the recreational as well as financial elements of this extraordinary amount of interest in the outdoor tradition. These preliminary research results show that of all Americans aged sixteen years and older, 12.5 million or 5% hunted in 2006.

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation is conducted every five years and provides wildlife recreation data for the analysis of economic trends and demographics.

The fiscal impact of these outdoor activities is enormous. Jerry Leonard, Survey economist, is quoted as saying: "It is roughly equivalent to one out of every one hundred dollars of goods and services produced in our economy. And much of this activity occurs in places which rely significantly on wildlife-related recreation expenditures for their economic well being."

Hunter expenditure has undergone a decline of 10 per cent over the decade till 2006. In that time, expenditure on equipment for hunting, including firearms and ammunition, however, has increased by three per cent. Leonard also said, "Participation levels in 2006 were likely reduced due to several factors: higher gas prices, hurricanes, the increasing age of baby boomers, and continuing urbanization".

The complete report is available from www.library.fws.gov

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June 4, 2007

Dominican Republic faces calls for gun restrictions

Justice Minister Radhames Jiménez speaking in Santa Domingo has said he agrees with "partial" disarmament of lawful civilian gun owners.

Acting in response to a spate of recent gun crimes, church leaders and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court have called for guns to be confiscated from private owners. Local discussion has ranged over a number of areas, including the need for wider violence prevention schemes. A currently-running system where a psychiatric review is undertaken before a permit is granted is now said to have been abused.

In addition, authorities have spoken of the need for greater education and more participation and rigour from various arms of the law.

Dominican Today



June 2, 2007

Canada rejects handgun ban

The Minister for Public Safety, Stockwell Day, has met with his provincial and territorial counterparts in Ottawa, and rejected a call from Ontario to pass a total ban on the ownership of handguns.

The Correctional Services Minister for Ontario, Monte Kwinter, has gone on the record asking for a complete removal of lawful ownership, saying that only police should be allowed to own them.

In rejecting the idea of a ban, Day cited the cases of the United Kingdom and Ireland where total bans have long been in place but have proved completely ineffective in lowering crime rates. He said: "The way you see crime with firearms reduced is to have a more aggressive policy, is to have more officers on the street, is to go after the illegal use of firearms, go after the smuggling of firearms."




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