News Release - 4/10/2008

New Study Released on Threat of Climate Change to U.S. Fish and Game Habitat

According to the report, climate change is expected to have profound impacts on a broad range of fish and wildlife species, with the potential to dramatically affect hunting and fishing in the future.

(Washington, D.C.) – The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies joined the Wildlife Management Institute and seven of the nation's leading hunting and fishing membership organizations to release a new report today – Seasons' End; Global Warming's Threat to Hunting and Fishing – detailing the predicted impacts of climate change on the fish and wildlife habitat and the future of hunting and fishing in the United States.

The group of organizations released Seasons' End at a press conference on Capitol Hill with Congressman John Dingell, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. At the event, the group also announced a new website, www.seasonsend.org, which will provide updated information on the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife and what can be done to address this challenge.

"We now know that climate change has the very real potential to affect fish and wildlife resources, and thus those activities that hunters and anglers hold dear, on a landscape level scale that is incomparable in modern times," said Matt Hogan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. "The information available to hunters and anglers through the Seasons' End book and website will be invaluable in educating sportsmen and women to these threats, and what they can do to assist the state and federal agencies in their efforts to facilitate fish and wildlife adaptation to those threats. I expect that this information will quickly be the basis for universal discussion in Rod and Gun clubs across the nation."

Seasons' End was compiled and edited by the Wildlife Management Institute, based on analysis done by Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, BASS/ESPN, Izaak Walton League of America, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Coastal Conservation Association, American Sportfishing Association, and Pheasants Forever. It is funded by the Bipartisan Policy Center, whose projects include the National Commission on Energy Policy.

To view the report and read the findings on waterfowl, freshwater fish, big game, upland game and saltwater fish, go to www.seasonsend.org.

Former Senate Leaders Baker, Daschle, Dole and Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. The BPC acts as an incubator for policy efforts that engage top political figures, advocates, academics and business leaders in the art of principled compromise. In addition to advancing specific proposals, the BPC also intends to broadcast a different type of policy discourse that seeks to unite the constructive center in the pursuit of common goals. For more information, visit www.bipartisanpolicy.org.