NEW MEXICO GAME COMMISSIONERS TO WITHDRAW INVOLVEMENT IN MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY?

Your Presence at Hearing on Friday, March 29, 2003 Could Help Persuade the Commission to Stay the Course

The New Mexico Game Commission has scheduled a discussion of Mexican gray wolf reintroduction for March 29th in Socorro, N.M., apparently in response to some commissioners' opposition to wolf recovery. The Commission may take action at this meeting, possibly voting to withdraw from cooperation with the federal led recovery program.

The state Game and Fish Department, which is overseen by the Commission, has one biologist assigned to the program. Three quarters of his salary is paid by the federal government.

Withdrawal would send a signal to the Bush Administration that the program lacks the state's official support. The livestock industry is pulling out all the stops to prevent upcoming reforms in the program, including direct release of wolves from the captive population into the Gila National Forest.

Please consider setting aside Friday, March 29 to testify in favor of New Mexico staying part of the Mexican wolf recovery program!

Arizona's Game Commissioners held a hearing last May to prepare to withdraw from the program, but backed off of that course in the face of public testimony that was overwhelmingly supportive of staying involved.

The meeting is at New Mexico Tech's Macey Center, 801 Leroy, Socorro, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on March 29. This is the 15th agenda item. HOWEVER, it is common for the Commission to change the order of the agenda at the meeting's beginning, so to ensure the ability to testify you should count on being there at 9:00 am and staying till 4:30 pm -- with the possibility of leaving earlier. Or, if necessary, you can risk being late and plan to arrive later in the day.

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