S.B. 32 is dangerous to New Mexico's wildlife.  This bill is not based on science, data or wildlife biologists input.  It is not based on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine, which define fish and wildlife resources as the property of the people to be managed by the state and federal agencies entrusted with their stewardship.  This model should be used as the foundation of science-based fish and wildlife management and hunting, fishing and trapping are appropriate management tools.  

The senate should not endorse advancing wildlife management policies and decisions by state or federal legislation or voter referendums and ballot initiatives unless requested by wildlife managers for the purposes of executing management prescriptions. The senate should be committed to sound stewardship policies that are guided by science over politics, emotion and conjecture.  

The passing of S.B. 32 hurts all wildlife in New Mexico, it signals an unbalance and sets a precedent for what could end up listing many animals as endangered or threatened in the future.  Furthermore, the economic impact of an out of balance ecosystem will cost jobs and millions of dollars, if not more.  S.B. 32 represents the destruction of wildlife. There is no science based reason to start this trend. 

We ask that the Senate Judiciary Committee oppose S.B. 32, support science based data and show support of existing legal trapping policies and methods of take authorized and managed by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.