Here’s what’s worth reading today, Wednesday, April 10, 2019:
Chronic wasting disease sampling effort in Texas leads to proposed containment zone expansion:Â Texas remains vigilant in monitoring and testing for chronic wasting disease, with no reported spread beyond existing containment zones over the last 12 months. However, the discovery of CWD in a free-ranging whitetail near the perimeter of the disease containment zone in south central Texas has led to a recommended expansion of that zone.
Like hunting, fishing and beer? Defend the Clean Water Act: The Clean Water Act supports some of America’s favorite pastimes: hunting, fishing and drinking beer. Among its successes, the Clean Water Act has facilitated the growth of the outdoor recreation economy, which accounts for $887 billion in annual consumer spending and supports 7.6 million American jobs. Hunting and fishing account for $63 billion in annual spending and 483,000 jobs. The Clean Water Act has been central to ensuring availability of clean water to support the robust craft beer industry, too. In return, craft breweries contribute over $76 billion to the economy and support over 500,000 jobs.
For the first time, Texas researchers find captive-bred horny toads that survived winter in the wild: New technology has allowed Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials to track the tiny hatchlings more accurately than ever. In the past, hatchlings were nearly impossible to track after release, and all died within a few months. Even in good conditions, Texas horned lizards have a high mortality rate. Previous efforts to release wild-caught and captive-bred adults have had limited success, and researchers have tried to release hundreds of hatchlings at a time in recent years.
Trump, hunting groups shoot down challenge to elephant-trophy permits:Â In a win for the Trump administration, the National Rifle Association and Safari Club International, a federal judge says that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can issue permits that allow individual hunters to import African elephant trophies without public notice or comment.
GLOCK, Inc. announces Chuck Norris as new spokesman: GLOCK, Inc. has announced its new spokesperson — legendary world champion martial artist, actor, producer, philanthropist and entrepreneur Chuck Norris. The collaboration will include traditional, digital and social campaigns as well as public appearances, the first being at the NRA Annual Conference in Indianapolis on April 26-27.
We’re very excited to announce #legendary world champion martial artist, actor, film producer, and screenwriter #ChuckNorris as the GLOCK spokesperson! pic.twitter.com/3Ky1rvnuux
— GLOCK Inc. (@GLOCKInc) April 8, 2019
This oil spill has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico for 14 years: Ten miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, off the tip of Louisiana, the fumes become overwhelming. “See how it’s all rainbow sheen there? So that’s oil,” says Ian MacDonald, who’s guiding us in a tiny fishing boat that’s being tossed around by 6-foot waves.
Keys fishing guides send a message to Tallahassee: Help! Fishing guides in the Florida Keys turned to the tools of their trade to send a message to Tallahassee. Using the iconic skiffs created to navigate Florida Bay’s shallow waters, about 40 guides and anglers set out from docks behind World Wide Sports in Islamorada to spell out a simple missive in Little Basin: Help.
How not to fish: New rule would turn back clock for U.S. fishing industry: Under current law, subsidies for constructing new commercial fishing vessels are illegal. A proposed rule change would allow use of taxpayer dollars to offer low-interest, fixed-term loans for new commercial fishing boat construction. As the author explains further in a new peer-reviewed study in Science, this rule change contradicts decades of fisheries science, economics and fisheries management practice. It also threatens to increase overfishing and is unfair to taxpayers and other industries.
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