Under the guise of “public safety and quality of life,” Rep. RoseLee Vincent (D-Suffolk) has introduced House Bill 4138, which creates a gigantic buffer zone that would shut down a key waterfowl hunting area in Massachusetts. The buffer zone would cover the tidelands, extending 1,500 yards offshore from Revere beach and the Point of Pines beach in the city of Revere. House Bill 4138 has been assigned to the Joint Committee on The Judiciary where it awaits a hearing.
Take Action Today! Massachusetts sportsmen should call their state representative and state senator and ask them to vote NO on HB 4138. Members can contact their legislators by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center Directory.
Hunting has existed in this area even before Massachusetts was a state, and there is no evidence of any legitimate safety concern. HB 4138 is simply a way to stop hunting in an area where some landowners oppose public access for sportsmen. Because waterfowlers often use the shoreline to obtain good cover, the buffer zone, which would extend nearly a mile into the sea, is essentially a ban on hunting without justification.
“A buffer zone the length of 15 football fields is excessive, especially when you consider how long people have been hunting in this area,” said Luke Houghton, associate director of state services for the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “It’s quite ironic that Rep. Vincent lives along one of the beaches impacted by her legislation. This bill is not about safety. It’s about folks who oppose hunting occurring near them.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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