BP,

I"m not a "hornet's nest" kind of guy, but I can tell you that both the federal and state regulations apply. The federal regs are located in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 20. The Feds set season frameworks and the states can then set seasons and bag limits within the federal framworks. Seasons are actually set on a flyway by flyway basis, with Ct of course being part of the Atlantic flyway management process.

But I'm GUESSING that the focus of your argument is not about regulations, but rather on the state's ability to charge you a fee to hunt ducks in addition to what the Federal Duck Stamp costs.

If that is your point, let me offer some background data to help put the Duck Stamp fees in context and perhaps provide insight into both the source and the destination of these funds. The information that follows came from the CT Duck Stamp Advisory Council and I used the fact sheet during last season's license fee debate when Duck Stamp funds were swept into the General Fund:


CONNECTICUT MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION STAMP
(“DUCK STAMP”) PROGRAM

FACT SHEET
Background

• The Connecticut Duck Stamp Program was initiated primarily by concerned sportsmen in the early 1990s. They worked with the DEP to develop legislation that required hunters to purchase duck stamps in order to legally hunt waterfowl. The Program was modeled after the popular and successful Federal Duck Stamp Program that uses all revenues for wetland conservation. The intent was to generate funds for waterfowl habitat conservation in Connecticut through the sale of stamps and prints to hunters, stamp collectors and art enthusiasts.

• Beginning in 1993, hunters were required to purchase a $5.00 Connecticut Duck Stamp to hunt waterfowl in Connecticut.

• The enabling legislation (CGS 26-27c), specifically mandated that all funds …shall only be used for the development, management, preservation, conservation, acquisition, purchase and maintenance of waterfowl habitat and wetlands and the purchase or acquisition of recreational interests relating to migratory birds.

• The sale of these stamps (and collector art prints from 1993 through 2003) has generated over $1,200,000.

• In 2005, the DEP raised the price of the stamp to $10.00 to generate additional funds for wetland conservation. This increase was strongly supported by waterfowl hunters who were pleased with the many successful wetland restoration and enhancement projects that the Duck Stamp Program had funded statewide.

•Accomplishments

• Over 45 projects have been conducted statewide (mostly on state-owned Wildlife Management Areas) resulting in over 3,145 acres of restored or enhanced wetlands.

• Two specialized low-ground pressure marsh restoration machines were purchased.

• A 75-acre addition to the Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area in Portland was purchased.

• Restoration of over 300 acres at Great Island WMA in Old Lyme in partnership with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Ducks Unlimited (DU), and the Connecticut Water Fowlers Association (CWA).

• Restoration of over 150 acres at East River WMA in Guilford.

• Restoration of 80 acres at Quinnipiac Meadows WMA in North Haven.

• Other sites enhanced by Duck Stamp Funds, Hale Marsh in Natchaug SF, Wickaboxet Marsh and Sue Hopkins in Pachaug SF, Dodge Marsh in Nehantic SF, Hackney and Cockaponsett #2 in Conckaponsett SF, Roy Swamp, Pine Swamp, Beaver Marsh in Housatonic SF, Higganum Meadows WMA in Haddam, along with many others.


Key Points Regarding the Value of the Duck Stamp Program

• The DEP’s nationally recognized Wetlands Restoration Unit receives no state funds and operates solely off of outside revenue sources, primarily grants and the Duck Stamp fund. Thus, the loss of the Duck Stamp funds will reduce and limit the State’s ability to conduct critical wetland restoration work.

• The Duck Stamp Program has been able to bankroll wetland projects that were delayed, or required a long time frame to complete. Without the Duck Stamp Program to pay upfront costs, some projects would not have been possible (e.g., Babcock Pond Wildlife Management Area in Colchester).

• Duck Stamp funds have been used as required “match” for grant dollars. To date nearly $900,000. of Duck Stamp funds have been used on projects with a total cost of $3 million dollars. Thus, Connecticut got over a 3:1 return on Duck Stamp monies.

• The wetland restoration work that the Duck Stamp Program has funded has benefited many wildlife species including several designated as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Connecticut’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

• Duck Stamp Program projects have provided many positive benefits to the public. For example, several projects have resulted in the removal of hundreds of acres of 10-15 feet tall Phragmites (an invasive non-native plant) thereby enhancing scenic vistas. Also, the improved habitats resulting from projects have benefited various recreational uses of many areas such as hunting, birding and kayaking.

• In Summary: DUCK STAMP FUNDS HAVE BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT TO WETLAND CONSERVATION IN CONNNECTICUT.



As a rabid waterfowler and father of two boys, I happily purchase three Ct duck stamps yearly. These funds are leveraged by the Wetlands Restoration Unit to perform important habitat work in Ct.

My 2 cents.....

Dave

Todd,

I'm painfully aware of that impact, since I'm the Ct Waterfowler's Association delegate to the DEP's Conservation Advisory Council.

In 2009, many funds were swept into the General Fund at the same time the License Fees were doubled. This was part of the larger budget deal struck between Gov Rell and the Legislature around Labor Day last year. BTW, the Duck Stamp fund was one of ONLY TWO interest bearing accounts in the state. I believe the actual balance in the account was $322,000 when those funds were swept. Not a million, but still very painful, since sportsmen WILLINGLY contributed those monies FOR DUCKS, NOT FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Back to the 2009 history: The funds sweep and License fee doubling caused two distinct parallel actions by sportsmen:

1) a group of six of us in the CAC delegates organized an initial meeting of sportsmen at Cabelas in September to get the word out about the fee increases and this meeting spawned a larger follow up meeting in November. This in turn led to other grass roots efforts, such as those by CTF members, to make the sportsmen's case to legislators.

2) Duck Stamp advisory Council members, and Ct's DU state chairman, Larry Davis, began working with several legislators to craft a renewed Duck Stamp that would be immune to Funds sweeps in the future, just like the Long Island Sound License plate funds. (You may remember that the Atty Gen ruled that LIS plates were optional purchases with funds given to the state specifically to benefit LIS.)

Well, the folks working the duck stamp issue focused on both reducing the stamp to a more reasonable increase, and then trying to build in language that made these funds "sweep proof" going forward.

Upon passage of the fees reduction bill this spring, duck stamp fees were addressed. The results were fairly encouraging.

1. Duck Stamp fee set at $13, with a $2 donation suggested to start building up the fund again. The $2 donations will be treated like the LIS funds that cannot be swept into the general fund. Not a perfect solution, but as described by one of our lobbyists "We got the camel's nose inside the tent, so now we can get the rest of him to follow". Future goal would be just that..to get the rest of the funds insulated by making them all "donations".

My fear is that sportsmen don't realize how much value we get from the duck stamp monies, approximately $3 in value for every $1 we pay. I hope that stamp purchases don't continue to decline, since we need those funds for wildlife.


Anyway, enough of my rambling. My suggestion, please buy a duck stamp...or two.


Dave