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Game commission stays with gray wolf program

Game commission stays with gray wolf program


By Tom Jackson King, Managing Editor


A key development came out of the May 16 joint meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in Safford — Arizona continues to be a partner in the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction program.

The five AGF commissioners voted unanimously to reaffirm six guiding principles that it wants the Arizona Game and Fish Department to follow and it directed AGF staff to make three reports to the commission over the next 12 months.

During the public comment part of the session on May 16, 21 persons spoke in favor of the wolf program while six spoke against it.

AGF Chairman Joe Carter of Safford complimented the people attending the day-long Safford meeting for agreeable disagreement.

“I am generally impressed that people are beginning to respect one another’s views, although they may not always agree,” Carter said.

Terry Johnson, non-game branch chief for the AGF, said, “The Arizona commission directed my agency to continue working to improve the Mexican wolf reintroduction program.”

The six areas of direction endorsed by the commission were:

  • Ensure appropriate state participation in the Mexican wolf recovery and reintroduction efforts, and recognition of state authorities and responsibilities as reflected in today’s and previous discussions.

  • Ensure opportunities for, and participation by, the full spectrum of stakeholders.

  • Ensure that the project’s Interagency Field Team protocols and staff capacity provide for immediate response capability to, and resolution of, urgent operation issues, such as depredation incidents.

  • Ensure that outreach efforts are sufficient to provide timely and accurate information to the public via a variety of mechanisms, on the project.

  • Ensure that all actions in the project are in strict compliance with any applicable, approved special rules, policies, protocols, management plans and interagency agreements.

  • Ensure that the project’s five-year review is effective and efficient, an improvement over the 3-Year Review, and completed by June 30, 2004.

    The commission ordered AGF to give it progress reports in September, January and May 2004.

    Johnson, in a moment of light humor, said he was pleased two cartons of tomatoes were not used by the audience at the Safford meeting.

    He said he was upbeat over the Safford meeting. “I was greatly impressed by how courteous all the letters, emails and the verbal presentations at the commission meeting were. It was clear proof that people can disagree without being disagreeable. So, we keep moving on and we have much to do,” Johnson said.

    The next public meeting of a wolf program group is July 9 in Glenwood, N.M. The meeting will be open to the public.

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