00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 31                                                                     
01 Opposing the enactment of the Protect America's Wildlife Act of 2007 that intends to                                    
02 prohibit aerial hunting of wildlife, which is essential for predator control in Alaska.                                 
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04       WHEREAS the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has experienced and                                              
05 knowledgeable biologists familiar with Alaska wildlife; and                                                             
06       WHEREAS the Alaska Board of Game openly discusses game management at board                                      
07 meetings and makes decisions based on scientific data; and                                                              
08       WHEREAS Alaska is a sovereign government within the United States with its own                                  
09 Board of Game responsible for managing the wildlife asset to be utilized, developed, and                                
10 maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses,                              
11 under art. VIII, sec. 4, Constitution of the State of Alaska; and                                                       
12       WHEREAS many areas in Alaska are accessible only by boat or aircraft; and                                       
13       WHEREAS Alaska presents unique living and wildlife situations of which many                                     
14 people outside the state might not be aware; and                                                                        
15       WHEREAS there is no shortage of predators in Alaska; and                                                        
16       WHEREAS predator imbalance will destroy other species that are important to the                                 

01 ecosystem of Alaska; and                                                                                                
02       WHEREAS there is legislation before Congress to prevent aerial predator control                                 
03 except for the protection of livestock; and                                                                             
04       WHEREAS the use of aircraft is a necessary tool for managing the asset of game                                  
05 animals to provide for abundance for personal use in Alaska; and                                                        
06       WHEREAS moose and caribou represent livestock to many Alaskans;                                                 
07       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges all members of Congress                                  
08 to oppose H.R. 3663, the Protect America's Wildlife Act of 2007; and be it                                              
09       FURTHER RESOLVED that management of fish and game in Alaska should be left                                      
10 to the experts in the state.                                                                                            
11       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable George W. Bush, President                              
12 of the United States; the Honorable Richard B. Cheney, Vice-President of the United States                              
13 and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Lisa                                      
14 Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of                                  
15 the Alaska delegation in Congress; and all other members of the 110th United States                                     
16 Congress.