Purpose: H.R. 3086 would coordinate authorities within the Department of the Interior and the federal government to enhance our ability to conserve global wildlife and biological diversity.
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Status: Introduced.
Action: SUPPORT. Please contact your U.S. Representative and him/her to support H.R. 2062. Tell your Representative that current international wildlife conservation activities are insufficient to combat the illegal and unsustainable trade in fish. H.R. 3086 provides needed improvement and focused attention as well as the means to inform the public about the many benefits provided by wildlife that contribute to healthy landscapes and ecosystem function.
Talking Points for your letter:
- The U.S. has an opportunity to lead an international wildlife conservation effort. We have a longstanding tradition of assisting other countries with the conservation of wildlife species. Wildlife conservation resources, including trained wildlife professionals, are often unavailable or highly limited in many foreign countries containing globally important biological resources.
- Conservation activities are required to fulfill the U.S.’s obligations under numerous treaties, laws, agreements, and cooperative programs.
- Since 1989, the Secretary of the Interior has provided wildlife conservation assistance throughout the world by developing locally adapted wildlife management and conservation programs, in coordination with stakeholders in an effort to maintain, recover, and restore global species diversity, habitats, and ecosystems.
- Despite these programs, current international wildlife conservation activities are insufficient to combat the illegal and unsustainable trade in fish. Improvement is needed to adequately protect wildlife that contribute to healthy landscapes and ecosystem function.
- Although the Department of the Interior has some authority to promote wildlife conservation, a specific authority delineating its role in coordinating international wildlife conservation activities will help efficiency and effectiveness of existing programs, provide for greater collaboration and sharing of resources, and acknowledge and restore international wildlife conservation leadership by the United States.
- The general public is vastly undereducated regarding the importance of species biodiversity, the laws, treaties, and regulations surrounding the sale, purchase, and transportation of wildlife and wildlife products across borders, associated wildlife and wildlife-related human health risks, and the implications, size, and scope of the trade in wildlife and wildlife products. The efforts being made to educate the United States public regarding such matters are, to this point, insufficient and in need of improvement.
- Nongovernmental organizations frequently hold a wealth of knowledge and experience in matters relating to the international conservation of wildlife, the zoological and biological sciences associated with species survival, the ecological issues involved with habitat maintenance, wildlife and wildlife-related human health risks, and the education of public audiences on issues dealing with conservation, habitat protection, and threats to wildlife. Establishing formal mechanisms through which the government can actively partner with those organizations will strengthen and enhance those international conservation efforts undertaken by the government.
- H.R. 3086 would provide specific authority to the Department of the Interior to coordinate activities and to assert international leadership in the active conservation of wildlife species and their habitats. In addition, H.R. 3086 would assist other countries through a comprehensive approach that builds capacity, strengthens strategic ecosystem conservation planning, facilitates scientific/technical/financial assistance to conserve wildlife species and their habitats, bolsters law enforcement, strengthens monitoring of wildlife health, and enhances public education.