Hunting in bay refuge? Have Feds lost their minds?

The following letter appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on May 9, 2002

Hunting in the refuges at the southern end of San Diego Bay sounds absurd. However, the National Fish and Wildlife Service is considering allowing outdoorsmen to use the refuges for limited waterfowl hunting as part of their 15-year management plan. These refuges were established to safeguard native and migratory birds, pure and simple. Although hunting may be listed as one of the priority public uses for consideration in refuge planning nationwide, allowing hunting in an urban and densely populated area is not acceptable.

Both the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and the South San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, at the foot of San Diego Bay, are small and serene oases for birds, many of them threatened or endangered. Migratory birds use the area’s wetlands, mudflats and eel grass beds to rest and refuel along their near 1,000-mile journey along the Pacific Flyway to seasonal nesting areas. Both resident shorebirds and migrating waterfowl are fortunate to have these safe havens tucked within our vast expanse of roads and concrete, enhancing the quality of life in this large metropolitan area.

Little more than ten years ago, the area where the refuges now sit was a hodgepodge of vacant property crisscrossing the five cities of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego. Thanks, in large part, to the efforts of wildlife conservationists and local environmental advocates, property was transferred to the federal government for refuges to ensure that the bay's shorebirds and waterfowl will survive into the next century. The very notion of waterfowl hunting, however limited, directly contradicts our community’s goal of preserving and protecting wildlife in the southern end of San Diego Bay.

Because the refuges are surrounded by homes, schools, businesses, playing fields, and public parks, any hunting in the refuges endangers the individuals and families living nearby. The communities of South San Diego are bustling with people – one reason why all five cities bordering the refuges prohibit firing weapons within their city limits. This highly populated area makes the idea of hunting unwise, at best, and potentially dangerous, at worst. In the refuges created as urban sanctuaries to preserve and protect endangered birds, allowing hunting is a terrible idea that should be abandoned immediately.

Sincerely,

GREG COX
Supervisor, First District