Hunters, anglers voice concern about impact of climate change on wildlife

Anglers in Montana. (Riverside Anglers photo)

Ten groups representing millions of anglers, hunters, scientists and conservationists sent a letter to President Obama on Monday asking that the administration “develop and implement climate-change adaptation strategies that support the resiliency of fish and wildlife populations,” reports the Environment News Service.

The hunting and angling economy is worth roughly $120 billion a year, writes ENS. The groups are asking Obama to follow through on his promises to act against warming temperatures, given in his inaugural address in January and in his State of the Union speech in February.

"This past year alone, we saw iconic rivers such as the Yampa in Colorado and Madison in Montana closed to fishing due to high water temperatures," the groups said. "Likewise, we saw droughts in the Midwest dry up duck marshes, and wildfires of uncommon intensity burn more than 9 million acres of game habitat."