At a special ceremony this week in Harrisburg, Ed Perry, PA Outreach Consultant for the National Wildlife Federation, praised the 60 hunting and angler groups in Pennsylvania that have signed a letter calling on Congress to pass federal legislation to address the issue of global warming.

“In all, 60 Pennsylvania sportsmen's groups, fly fishing guides and fly shops have signed the letter, second-most of any state in the nation, asking their elected leaders in Congress to confront global warming so future generations have the same opportunities to enjoy the outdoors that we do now,” said Perry. “Across America, more than 670 sportsmen’s groups, representing millions of Americans who hunt and fish, have added their name to the sportsmen’s letter to Congress.”

Video Blog: Ed Perry on PA Groups and Climate Change

“Pennsylvania sportsmen want America to lead on global warming solutions,” said Perry. “We’ve used cap-and-trade systems – and American ingenuity – successfully in the past to cut pollution. Measures like the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, coming before the Senate this spring, will not only protect our heritage, but also bring new jobs to our cities and rural communities while bolstering a stronger economy.”

Perry was joined at the ceremony by Ken Undercoffer, President, Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited and Don Robertson, President, Pennsylvania Division Izaak Walton League.

“Trout need clean, cold water in order to survive. Now global warming promises to reduce even further the number of streams left in Pennsylvania that can support wild trout populations,” said Ken Undercoffer, President of the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited. “Sportsmen and women and others who spend time outdoors can already see the effects of climate change. This is not a conservative or a liberal issue. We are all responsible for finding solutions and the time to act is now.”

Video Blog: Ken Undercoffer on Climate Change Impact on Fish Resources

An Environmental Protection Agency report shows that if the temperature increases as scientists predict, Pennsylvania will lose over 50 percent of its trout fisheries.

Some of Pennsylvania’s world-class smallmouth bass fisheries are also feeling the impacts of climate change. Mini-droughts coupled with high summer water temperature have lowered dissolved oxygen levels in the past few years in the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers, stressing smallmouth bass and making them vulnerable to bacterial infection. In 2005 and 2007, these conditions caused major kills in the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers where Columnaris infected nearly 50 percent of the Juniata River’s juvenile smallmouth bass.

“We can no longer sit on the sidelines and not ask them (members of Congress) to do something,” said Robertson. “Our view on global warming is there is a threat to migratory birds and that threat could undo all the work we have done in the past 80 years. Fish and wildlife are already feeling the affects.”

Video Blog: Don Robertson, Izaak Walton League, Urges Climate Action

According to the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife, in Pennsylvania 982,000 participants spent over $1.2 billion on fishing and more than 1 million participants spent over $1.4 billion on hunting.

For more information, visit the Global Warming and PA webpage or contact Ed Perry by sending email to: PaGlobalWarmingOutreach@gmail.com .

NewsClip: State Groups Lend Support to Climate Change Letter

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Editorial: Next President Must Address Climate

Editorial: Too Few Paying Attention to Climate Change

Editorial: Global Warming Balance

Links: Global Warming and Pennsylvania

PA Hunters, Anglers Seeing Signs of Global Warming - Survey

2/22/2008