FEDERAL WILDLIFE LAWS

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FEDERAL WILDLIFE LAWS
Agriscience 381 Wildlife and Recreation
Management 8983-B TEKS (c)(2)(C)
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The early rules of regulating wildlife were
simple

• if it damages your property, destroy it
• if its hide or carcass had value, market it or
• if its meat was tasty, process it.

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Photo by R. D. Hildebrand courtesy of U. S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
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Game Legislation
Maintaining wildlife programs is not
free. With wildlife management, the majority
of the funds come from those individuals who use
the resources.
Photo by Pat Hagan courtesy of U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
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This is done largely through the use of license
fees, but these fees are not enough.
Photo by F. Eugene Hester courtesy of U. S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
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Five major funding acts provided financing to
wildlife programs.

• The Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (1934)
• The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act
  (1937) (Pittman-Robertson Act)
• The Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act (1950)
  (Dingell-Johnson Act)
• The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980
  (Non-Game Act)
• The Land and Water Conservation Act (1964)

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It was the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (1929)
that made it possible for the government to
purchase wildlife refuge land, but it lacked the
necessary funding. The Migratory Bird Hunting
Stamp Act (1934) provided the money by requiring
that people above 16 years of age must purchase a
Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp to hunt waterfowl.
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In 1976, the name of the stamp became the
Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.
Photo courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act
(1937) is commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson
Act. This act provided states with up to 75
percent of total costs of wildlife restoration
projects that meet federal standards and still
serves as the foundation for all wildlife
conservation efforts.
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The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (1980) is
also known as the Non-game Act. It is called
this because it targets fish and wildlife not
taken for sport or commercial purposes. Short-term
funding made it necessary for states to carry
the expense of state programs.
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The Land and Water Conservation Act (1964)
provided access of outdoor recreation resources
to all citizens. The mission of this act is
preserving and developing resources. States can
receive up to 50 percent of funding, but they
must submit a statewide outdoor recreation plan
to be eligible for funds.
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Fish Legislation
The Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act (1950) is
also known as the Dingell-Johnson Act. This act
allows tax on certain
fishing equipment.
Photo by George Gentry courtesy of U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
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Sport and recreation fish species benefited the
most from this act. Some funds involve non-fish
and endangered species.
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Wildlife Commerce Legislation
Wildlife commerce is profiting from the sale or
trade of wild species.
Photo by John and Karen Hollingsworth courtesy of
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Poaching is the term used to identify unlawful
taking of game. It is punishable by fine and/or
imprisonment.
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The two acts that are cornerstones for regulating
wildlife commerce are

• The Lacey Act (1900), and
• The Black Bass Act (1926).

These acts prevent importing wildlife, if it
could harm people, production agriculture, or the
natural environment.
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Threatened and Endangered Legislation
Early laws dealt with the killing of wildlife and
did not include marine mammals or endangered
species.
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The Migratory Bird Treaty Act allows hunting of
migratory birds only during open season.
Photo courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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As people became aware of the abuse of natural
resources, that concern showed itself with the
passage of the Endangered Species Act
(1966). Many wild plant and animal species were
facing extinction.
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The Endangered Species Act (1966) had three main
objectives.

• Protect native fish and wildlife that were
  threatened with extinction.
• Provide for propagation of species threatened
  with extinction.
• Provide protection to foreign wildlife
  threatened with extinction.

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The Endangered Species Conservation Act (1969)
supported and strengthened the 1966 Act. The
Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1973
included plants,
as well as, animals.
Photo by Ivette Loredo courtesy of U. S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
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Once listed, the species receives very stringent
protection. The penalty for taking an endangered
species can result in one year in prison and a
24,000 fine. The penalty for taking a threatened
species can result in six months in jail and a
10,000 fine.
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In relation to threatened or endangered species,
the term take means to harass, harm, pursue,
hunt, shoot, wound, kill, drop, capture, or
collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct.
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Animal Damage Legislation
Predators are those species that destroy crops,
kill livestock and poultry, and damage
property. The Animal Damage Control Act of 1931
identified eight predators, including the
mountain lion, bobcat, ground squirrel, wolf,
prairie dog, jackrabbit, coyote, and gopher.
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Photos (top left to right) by W. L. Miller (NPS),
J. K. Hollingsworth (USFWS), unknown (NPS), J.
K. Hollingsworth (USFWS), R. Robinson (NPS),
George Harrison (USFWS), John Good (NPS).
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The Act also included other animals that could
cause harm to agriculture or humans. The law
worked to control animals that carried
diseases. The two main diseases that it targeted
were rabies and tularemia.
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During the early years, the role of the predator
in the ecosystem was ignored. Over-control of
predators will lead to the increase of prey
species. An increase in prey species leads to an
increase in the damage they cause.