Animal rights activists often state that banning wildlife management activities like trapping will have no impact on the economy. Such was the case when proponents of S.B. 994 (which, if passed, would have banned trapping in Connecticut) would have no economic impact in the state.
They were wrong.
Jeff Serena, over at the Connecticut Nature Examiner, reports on an assessment by the state Office of Fiscal Analysis that gives an estimate of the economic impact.
The predicted cost to the state in lost revenues is estimated at $15,464 per year due to the loss of trapping licenses through the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
plus,
The estimated cost to the state in additional expenses associated with nuisance-animal management is $482,000 in fiscal years 2010 and 2011.
and,
The estimated additional cost to Connecticut municipalities for nuisance-animal control is $92,000, as the services of volunteer trappers would no longer be available to Connecticut towns for the removal of problem beavers, and the towns would thus need to employ professional trapping companies.
So we’re looking at a total estimated economic impact of $589,464.00, or somewhere over half a million dollars just over the short term. And that doesn’t include any estimates of property damage resulting from flooding of roads and other infrastructure, damage to dikes and levees, spread of disease, loss of household pets from coyote predation, and trees lost due to beavers.
It’s quite obvious that banning trapping in Connecticut wouldn’t only take away the rights of law abiding citizens who harvest a renewable natural resource, but it would have a significant economic impact on the taxpayers and property owners of the state as well.
The bill was recently killed in the legislature. Let’s hope it isn’t revived any time soon.
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