Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) President Jeff Crane has been appointed to the newly formed Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (WHHCC) and CSF Vice-President of Policy Gary Kania received an appointment to the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Federal Advisory Committee.


Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Crane's appointment along with 18 others last week, including CSF Board Members Tommy Millner of Cabela's, Robert Model of Boone and Crockett Club, and Steve Sanetti of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, to the WHHCC created earlier this year to advise the two departments about recreational hunting and shooting sports activities and associated wildlife and habitat conservation.


“We are very excited and honored that Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack are providing a powerful voice for sportsmen as these appointments offer us a formal seat at the table to advise both departments on issues of concern to hunter conservationists,” said Crane.


The WHHCC provides a forum for sports men and women to advise the Federal government on policies related to wildlife and habitat conservation that benefit hunting, wildlife management, and encourage partnership among the general public, the shooting and hunting sports industry, wildlife conservation organizations, state fish and wildlife agencies and the Federal government.


The new Council replaces the previously existing Sporting Conservation Council (SCC) by expanding membership to include the archery, hunting and shooting sports industries, as well as including broader representation from the nation's major hunting organizations. Crane served as Vice Chairman of the SCC, and Model served as Chairman of the SCC.


The Commerce Department also announced the appointment of Kania last week to the MPA Federal Advisory Committee that counsels both departments concerning the development and implementation of MPAs. The MPA committee is part of the National Marine Protected Areas Center inside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and works alongside other federal and state agencies in developing MPA strategies and policies.


“As a representative of the recreational fishing community to this Federal advisory committee we can provide valuable input to NOAA and others concerning the potential implications of federal policy making, including MPA's, on the societal, economic and conservation benefits of recreational angling,” said Kania.


The MPA committee was created by Presidential Executive Order 13158 and includes representatives from commercial and recreational angling, science, energy, and tourism.


Earlier this year, Secretary Salazar appointed Crane as a member and Kania as an alternate member to the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (SFBPC), a federally chartered advisory committee established in 1993. The SFBPC advises the Department of Interior Secretary, through the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on recreational fishing and boating issues.