Today, the U.S. House defeated an amendment that would have effectively barred importation of polar bear parts from sport hunting in Canada. Washington State Democrat Jay Inslee argued the Canada sport hunting exemption in the Marine Mammal Protection Act should be closed at a time when the future of polar bears is in question because of climate change and the melting of their sea ice habitat.
Critics argued that Inslee’s amendment would disrupt a program that actually helps manage and protect polar bears. Sport hunting is only allowed on healthy polar bear populations in Canada and a $1,000 fee hunters pay for a permit to import trophies to the U.S. is channeled back into an international conservation fund for polar bears. An agitated Don Young said the Inslee amendment was a bad idea based on ulterior motives.
The amendment was defeated 188 to 242.
Joel Southern, APRN – Washington, D.C. (read by Lori Townsend, APRN)
