WHEREAS, Nevada has a rich and storied tradition of hunting and angling, that dates back further than the state itself and carries forward to this day; and hunting and angling continue to be an integral component of the cultural fabric of communities throughout the state, and over recent years have offered a growing number of participants an opportunity to connect with nature on a personal level; and

WHEREAS, Nevada's sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support the establishment of the Nevada Department of Wildlife to conserve fish, wildlife, and their habitat, and through their license fees helped fund state efforts to provide for healthy and sustainable natural resources; and

WHEREAS, upon realizing that license fees alone were insufficient to restore and sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations, sportsmen and women supported self-imposed excise taxes on firearms and ammunition, fishing tackle and motorboat fuels to raise additional conservation funds; and

WHEREAS, to this day, the Nevada Department of Wildlife is primarily funded by sportsmen and women, through this American System of Conservation Funding - a "user pays - public benefits" approach that is widely recognized as the most successful model for funding fish and wildlife management in the world; and

WHEREAS, last year alone, Nevada's sportsmen and women generated $22,088,540 through this System to support the conservation efforts of the Nevada Department of Wildlife; and 258,142 hunters and anglers support the state's economy through their spending, contributing to the $4.9 billion spent on outdoor activities in Nevada last year; and

WHEREAS, National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 to celebrate and recognize hunters and anglers for their immense contributions to fish and wildlife conservation, and to our society;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim September 23, 2023 as a day in honor of

HUNTING AND FISHING DAY IN NEVADA