Walt Rubel Commentary: State changes focus to preservation

The New Mexico Legislature didn’t do much this year to update policies and procedures that are more than a century old. We will continue to have an unpaid Legislature convening in 30- and 60-day sessions to meet the lifestyle demands of those living in 1912.

There was one area where lawmakers decided to update from the horse and buggy days, and that was wildlife preservation. Laws on the books until this year treated wildlife as either food or sport. The job of the state was to ensure there were plenty of animals to be shot, trapped and hooked, and to manage that process.

We established the Department of Game and Fish to set the rules for how many animals can be taken, when they can be taken, where they can be taken and how much the licenses will cost. The value of wildlife was measured by how much revenue it could bring through hunting and fishing licenses.

Senate Bill 5, which was passed and signed with a partial veto by the governor, seeks to bring more balance to the process. It will change the name and focus of the Department of Game and Fish, which will now become the Department of Wildlife. The name change reflects a shift in mission.

Instead of the primary focus being the protection of game and fish for recreation and food supply, the department will now be responsible for the protection and management of all wildlife as, “a public trust resource with ecological, economic and intrinsic value.”

The bill is not anti-hunter. One of its sponsors, Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces, once told me that he harvests all the food he eats. Another sponsor, Crystal Diamond Brantly, R-Elephant Butte, told the New Mexico Political Report that her family's ranching operation depends on guided hunts. This was a compromise that had the support of both the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the Audubon Society.

The bill includes modest fee increases for some hunting and fishing licenses, which will help bring more financial stability to the department. A separate funding proposal passed by the Legislature includes $10.5 million for the conservation of native species that are most in need.

The bill also reforms the nominating process for the state Game Commission to give the Legislature and the public more input. A provision restricting the governor’s ability to remove members was eliminated by a partial veto.

New Mexico’s wildlife is one of our state’s greatest assets. Its value is not limited to only those who hunt and fish, even as we recognize that those activities have been taking place here since long before we were a state, and should continue to be preserved and respected.

There is a tension between sportsmen and preservationists, but they are not the enemies of each other. The real enemy is “progress” … development, expansion, the desire to pave over natural sites and keep encroaching further into the wilderness. 

Ultimately, both sides want the same thing - for our children and grandchildren to have the same opportunities we have, whether that’s hunting, fishing, photography, bird watching or simply taking a moment to appreciate the wonders of nature. Hopefully, these reforms will bring more coordination and cooperation to the preservation effort, and ensure that future generations will still be able to enjoy all of the natural wonders that abound in this region.


Walter Rubel can be reached at [email protected].

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