Conservation Corner: September 27, 1999

Wildlife Laws In The United States
by James L. Cummins

Wildlife laws in the United States actually got its beginning in Mississippi. In the early 1900's President Theodore Roosevelt came to Mississippi and went bear hunting. Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear and the story spread and hence the "teddy bear" was born to honor Roosevelt's conservation ethic.

Roosevelt was the pioneer of our first environmental agenda. In 1905 he worked with Congress to create federal wildlife reserves. He created the Forest Service. In 1907 he signed into law an act which stated that the Forest Service shall aid in enforcement to protect fish and wildlife.

Since that time, many laws have been passed for wildlife protection, restoration and enhancement. Wildlife that are non-migratory are the responsibility of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, who sets their own hunting seasons, bag limits and other regulations for Mississippi.

Migratory wildlife, such as ducks and doves, are the responsibility of the federal government. The major federal laws are the Lacey Act, Migratory Game Bird Treaty Act, Migratory Bird Hunting Act, Pittman-Robertson Act, Marine Mammals Protection Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.

The Lacey Act, which was passed in 1900, prohibits the interstate transportation of illegally killed wildlife. This Act was passed to aid in curtailing market hunting.

In 1918 the Migratory Game Bird Treaty Act was passed. It allowed the United States to enter into a treaty with Canada to prohibit the killing of migratory birds for commercial reasons. This Act also places other restrictions on migratory birds.

In 1934, the Migratory Bird Hunting Act was passed; it required duck hunters over the age of 16 to purchase a duck stamp before they hunt. Monies from the sale of the stamp raises funds for refuges for migratory birds. The expenditure of such funds must be approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission; Senator Thad Cochran is one of the two Senators on it.

In 1937 the Pittman Robertson Act was passed. The Act, which generates federal funds from taxes on hunting equipment, distributes funds to states based on land area and the number of licensed hunters. The equivalent on the fishing side is Wallop-Breaux, or the Sport Fishing Restoration Act.

In 1969, the Endangered Species Act was signed by President Richard Nixon. Later, Nixon signed the Clean Water Act.

Marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. This Act protected a variety of marine mammals such as the walrus and polar bear, of which fellow Mississippian Dan Guravich was famous for photographing.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.