ADVOCACY
"Waterfowl, wetlands and hunting can thrive in California only
when we work to ensure that regulations, policies and laws are helpful,
or at the very least don't get in the way "
State of CWA by Mark Hennelly
Our VP discusses what actions CWA took to help protect our rich traditions of hunting and conservation efforts in CA.
ADVOCACY
The California Waterfowl Association was a group of dedicated conservationists who worked tirelessly to protect the wetlands and waterfowl of the state. They were passionate advocates for the protection of these important ecosystems and the diverse array of birds that called them home. Over time, their efforts began to pay off. Waterfowl populations began to rebound, and many of the state's wetlands were restored to their former glory. The California Waterfowl Association had played a crucial role in this success, and their advocacy had helped to ensure that these important ecosystems would continue to thrive for generations to come.
ADVOCACY
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sets frameworks for hunting in each of the nation's four flyways, with input from its Flyway Councils, and each state then sets detailed regulations, which can be more restrictive than the federal frameworks, but not more permissive.
CURRENT ISSUEs
Our advocacy team works on a variety of issues affecting waterfowl and waterfowl hunters at all times. Read about the issues here, and if you sign up for alerts, we'll let you know when it's critical for our members and supporters to contact their representatives.
LEGISLATION
California Waterfowl's advocacy team works actively with lawmakers from both parties to promote legislation beneficial to wetlands and hunting. We also fight detrimental bills, either opposing them outright or, when they're certain to pass, working to minimize detrimental impacts.
SAVE LOWER KLAMATH
The LKNWR - one of the Pacific Flyway's critical waterfowl breeding, molting and migration staging areas - is being starved of essential water supplies. CWA's chief goals are to secure high-priority water rights for the refuge and to secure an agreement to distribute water in the Klamath Basin.
CALIFORNIA MALLARDs
According to research, California mallards that are harvested, 96% are harvested here and 3% harvested in Oregon . Unfortunately, our breeding population of mallards used to be much stronger, but after plunging during the recent drought, it has failed to rebound.
PINTAIL LIMITS
The last three decades of restrictive regulations on pintail have not resulted in a significant boost in pintail population, even in year of good precipitation in the prairies. Pintails nest in prairie shortgrass, but they also use stubble left behind from the prior year’s spring wheat harvest.
PUBLIC INPUT
It's critical for law and policy makers to get input from ordinary people when they're developing or changing policies that affect waterfowl hunting and conservation. CWA keeps members involved with two advisory committees, an email alert and an annual Lobby Day.
ACTION ALERTs
California Waterfowl monitors legislation in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and when it's time to make our voices heard, we issue action alerts that help our supporters find and contact their representatives in the Legislature and Congress. This can literally change the outcome of a bill.
