2000-04-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 3216
SB 267                                                                       
Message dated and received April 17 was read, stating:                         
                                                                               
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. II, sec. 15 of the Alaska Constitution, I          
have vetoed the following bill:                                                
                                                                               
HOUSE CS FOR CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.                                           
267(RES) An Act relating to management of                                      
game.                                                                          
                                                                               
The bill virtually nullifies the widely supported 1996 citizen                 
initiative, which banned the same-day airborne hunting of wolves,              
wolverine, fox and lynx except in limited cases of biological                  
emergency. Most Alaskans do not consider it fair chase and                     
appropriate hunting technique to track and spot a wolf from an                 
aircraft, land, and kill it. This behavior also invites other unethical,       
illegal practices such as herding of wolves and shooting from the              
aircraft before landing.                                                       
                                                                               
The initiative was supported by 58 percent of Alaska voters who said           
the practice of land and shoot hunting of wolves is unacceptable and           
that, while biological emergencies may justify such a drastic measure,         
these circumstances are exceptional and use of this game                       
management tool must be tightly controlled.                                    
                                                                               
                                                                               

2000-04-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 3217
SB 267                                                                       
To use as a method of state predator control unethical techniques              
that encourage illegal activity is a throwback to the universally              
discredited policies of bounties, poisoning and denning, the practice          
of killing wolf pups.                                                          
                                                                               
This Legislatures approach to game management is out of touch and              
divisive. It has proven so in three ways. First, by efforts to remove          
public participation in wildlife management decisions. Second, by              
action to overturn public support of the initiative on same-day                
airborne wolf control. Third, by restricting and even prohibiting the          
statutory mandate for diversity of opinion on state Board of Game.             
                                                                               
On the other hand, we can resolve the issue of predator control in             
a way that unifies Alaskans rather than dividing them. This can                
occur by increasing diversity on the Board of Game so that non-                
consumptive users are represented; by creating areas for the                   
protection of wolves and bears to benefit the growing watchable                
wildlife sector of our visitor industry; and by applying principles of         
adaptive management so that any needed predator control efforts are            
part of a program of sound scientific research.                                
                                                                               
The legislature began its erosion of the 1996 citizens' initiative last        
year by weakening the standards the public decided to apply to these           
types of predator control efforts. That bill was enacted over my veto.         
Added to the change included in this bill, the revisions are now so            
sweeping they subvert most of the initiative's provisions. These               
legislative tactics exclude Alaskans from management of our wildlife.          
                                                                               
Wildlife management must ensure the long-term conservation of all              
species and habitats and provide for the broadest range of human               
uses and values through an accessible and responsive public process.           
The control technique of land and shoot hunting endorsed by this bill          
sets bad wildlife management policy that will likely succeed only in           
polarizing Alaskans.                                                           
                                                                               
					Sincerely,                                                                
					/s/                                                                       
					Tony Knowles                                                              
					Governor