- President Donald Trump said the expansion of federal lands for hunting and fishing is a "historic victory for American sportsmen."
- Millions of acres of land were opened for hunting and federal regulations are lightened.
- Expansion of fishing is expected to bolster America's outdoor recreation economy.
President Donald Trump issued two executive orders on Thursday to loosen federal restrictions on American hunting and fishing.
“We believe that public lands belong to the American people and to the public,” Trump announced at a dinner with hunters and fishers in the White House Rose Garden after signing the orders. “And hunters, fishers, and outdoorsmen should be able to access them.”
The orders, which Trump called a “historic victory for the American sportsmen,” support a tradition “older than our nation itself.”
“From Davy Crockett to Daniel Boone to Teddy Roosevelt, we’ve always been a nation that loves the outdoors and with patriots like you it will continue for a long time,” Trump said to hunters, fishermen and outdoorsmen at the Thursday gathering.
Expansion of hunting lands benefits ‘the next generation’ of American hunters
Trump’s executive order to expand access to hunting lands, titled “Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage,” states that the government will apply a “presumption of accessibility” to federal lands so that “the next generation of Americans shall once again have the opportunity to share in our Nation’s rich sporting heritage.”
Though the order is generally broad in nature with few specifics, it does single out Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument for expanded opportunities.
According to the order, hunting opportunities have declined recently due to “regulatory overreach” by the federal government.
“Reform on these restrictions is long overdue,” the order states.
New regulations generally allow for hunting on federal land, excluding specific closures and national parks. The expansion of federal lands comes after the Trump administration opened up more than 92 million acres of federal land in August.
The order also promotes “growing a new generation of hunters” by funding youth archery and hunter education programs, expanding Sunday hunting opportunities on government lands and streamlining hunting authorization processes.
“President Trump is cutting red tape, rolling back restrictions, and expanding hunting opportunities for Americans,” the White House said in a fact sheet related to the order.
Limiting restrictions on recreational fishing to strengthen outdoor economy, officials say
The executive order on fishing, “Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation,” loosens restrictions on boaters and saltwater anglers to allow for multiyear permitting, expanded fishing seasons and access to more fisheries.
“President Trump is committed to removing unnecessary restrictions of saltwater anglers, offshore boaters, and charter operations in order to enhance domestic outdoor recreation, support American jobs, and strengthen coastal economies,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
The White House also said that the recreational fishing industry is “a strong driver of our Nation’s outdoor economy,” which generates more than $1.2 trillion annually and supports more than 5 million jobs, according to data shared in the executive order.
“This is a historic win for American anglers and the coastal communities that depend on them,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a press release. “By removing restrictions and modernizing our data, we are investing in the businesses that make up the backbone of our coastal communities. Recreational fishing is an American powerhouse for jobs. This order strengthens our nation’s coastal economies for generations to come.”