Bill Text: NJ SJR63 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates fourth Saturday of September each year as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [SJR63 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-SJR63-Introduced.html
No. 63
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Designates fourth Saturday of September each year as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Joint Resolution designating the fourth Saturday of September each year as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day."
Whereas, Hunting and fishing are cornerstones of the American recreational experience, connecting residents to the outdoors, and promoting healthy living and environmental stewardship; and
Whereas, In 2011, an estimated 13.7 million Americans took a combined 257 million hunting trips, and 33.1 million anglers took 455 million fishing trips; and
Whereas, In New Jersey, in particular, 94,000 hunters took a combined 2.6 million hunting trips, and 766,000 anglers took 8.4 million fishing trips, generating billions of dollars in economic activity for the State; and
Whereas, More than 750,000 acres of public lands in New Jersey, including acreage in 27 State parks and forests, are open to hunters, providing an exceptional diversity of habitat and harboring numerous game species, such as deer, wild turkey, and waterfowl; and
Whereas, New Jersey's 127 miles of coastline, hundreds of miles of bay shore, and numerous inland lakes and tributaries provide some of the best and most diverse fishing opportunities in the country, including saltwater fishing for striped bass and flounder, and stream fishing for brook trout; and
Whereas, Hunting and fishing are excellent opportunities for families to spend time together and for children to learn more about wildlife and the environment; and
Whereas, Hunting and fishing are also believed by many to be significant stress-relieving activities; and
Whereas, People who hunt and fish are also more likely to value and help conserve the environment, and funds from hunting and fishing licenses, and excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery, and angling equipment, in New Jersey and across the country go toward wildlife conservation programs; and
Whereas, "National Hunting and Fishing Day," which takes place on the fourth Saturday of September each year, was formally established by Congress in 1972 to recognize the aesthetic, health, and recreational virtues of hunting and fishing; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper to establish "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day" on the fourth Saturday of September each year in order to encourage more residents to participate in these fun and healthy activities, and thereby assist wildlife conservation efforts; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The fourth Saturday of September each year is designated as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day," in order to highlight the importance of hunting and fishing in enhancing people's quality of life and in conserving the State's wildlife and natural beauty.
2. The Governor may annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and citizens of the State to observe "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day" with appropriate programs and activities.
3. The Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Department of Environmental Protection shall take appropriate measures each year to publicize "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day," and coordinate at least one of the State's free fishing days, selected pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1985, c.352 (C.23:3-1b), with that day.
4. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution would designate the fourth Saturday of September each year as "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day."
Hunting and fishing are cornerstones of the American recreational experience. In 2011, an estimated 94,000 hunters took a combined 2.6 million hunting trips, and 766,000 anglers took 8.4 million fishing trips, generating billions of dollars in economic activity in the State. More than 750,000 acres of public lands in New Jersey are open to hunters, and provide an exceptional diversity of habitat and harbor numerous game species. Additionally, New Jersey's 127 miles of coastline, hundreds of miles of bay shore, and numerous inland lakes and tributaries provide some of the best and most diverse fishing in the country.
Hunting and fishing are excellent opportunities for families to spend time together, and for children to learn more about wildlife and the environment. Hunting and fishing are also believed by many to be significant stress-relieving activities. People who hunt and fish are also more likely to value and help conserve the environment, and funds from hunting and fishing licenses, and excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery, and angling equipment, in New Jersey and across the country go toward wildlife conservation programs. By designating "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day," it is hoped that this will encourage more residents to participate in hunting and fishing.
The joint resolution would request the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and citizens of the State to observe "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day" with appropriate activities and programs. It would also direct the Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Department of Environmental Protection to take appropriate measures each year to publicize "New Jersey Hunting and Fishing Day," and to coordinate at least one of the State's free fishing days, selected pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1985, c.352 (C.23:3-1b), with that day.
