Delta Waterfowl Submits Support of USFWS Hunt Fish Rule; Suggested Amendments to California’s Fish and Game Code; and More

Vigorous Duck Production, HunteR3, and other Delta-supported efforts continue across the United States and Canada

United States: Federal

Delta Waterfowl Submits Comments in Support of USFWS Hunt Fish Rule: Delta policy staff submitted comments through the Federal Register in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ 2025 proposal, which seeks to open or expand 42 new hunting and sport fishing opportunities across more than 87,000 acres within the National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System. Specifically, it would expand migratory game bird hunting at Grays Lake NWR in Idaho, Shiawassee NWR in Michigan, Willapa NWR in Washington, and Grasslands Wildlife Management Area in California. This proposed rule is one of the best chances to open or expand high quality public hunting access for waterfowl hunters, and Delta will continue to lead the charge on ensuring the USFWS prioritizes waterfowl hunters in this rule.

Additionally, out of 193 total comments submitted to the USFWS during this open comment period, 168 were from Delta Waterfowl members through the organization's Duck Hunters Action Alert System.

Federal Public Land Sale: Delta worked with numerous partners in expressing our concerns in both the House and Senate Reconciliation bills (commonly referred to as The One Big Beautiful Bill Act) regarding proposed public land sales. Delta was among a number of partner organizations in the American Wildlife Conservation Partnership that sent letters to both House and Senate leadership stating strong opposition to the inclusion of sales as part of reconciliation and without the standard process for such sales.

Thankfully, both proposals were dropped and the reconciliation bill that was passed by both chambers contained no land sale language. You can read the letters to the House and Senate here.

United States: State

Louisiana:

Delta Waterfowl Applauds Louisiana Governor and Legislature for Investing in Conservation: Waterfowl and waterfowl hunters will benefit greatly from recent conservation measures supported by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and the state Legislature. During the recently completed 2025 legislative session, $29 million was secured to fund levee restoration at the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish. Also, on separate unanimous votes, the legislature established the Conservation Incentive Program to enhance the amount of winter water on the landscape and made a beneficial change to the state’s Duck Stamp program.

Pennsylvania:

Delta Waterfowl Celebrates Passage of Sunday Hunting Legislation in Pennsylvania: Delta Waterfowl is celebrating with sportsmen and women in Pennsylvania as legislation to fully repeal the prohibition against hunting on Sundays in the Commonwealth crossed the finish line. HB 1431, the bill to repeal a ban on Sunday hunting, passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on June 11 with strong bipartisan support by a 131-72 vote. The Senate approved by a 34-16 vote on June 26. After a June 30 concurrence vote in the House to finalize language, the approved bill was sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro where he signed it into law on July 9.

Read more about Delta’s impact here.

California:

Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement Program: Delta’s policy team recently joined the California Waterfowl Association in a sign-on letter in support of Assembly Bill 1169. This legislation would increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities offered through the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s SHARE program provides incentives to private landowners to make their property available to the public for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. The current issue with this program stems from statutory restrictions on the amount that DFW may pay participating landowners. Although the SHARE program was created back in 2003, these payment limitations have not been changed or adjusted for inflation since they were created.

Assembly Bill 1169 would remove the landowner payment limitations and instead allow DFW to determine the appropriate amount to pay each participating landowner, while requiring DFW to contract portions of the work involved with the program to nonprofit conservation groups. Most recently, this bill passed in the assembly and will be heard next in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water. Delta’s team will continue to advocate for this bill as it moves through the legislative process.

Suggested Amendments to Sections of California Fish and Game Code: Along with several partners, Delta Waterfowl has been advocating for Assembly Bill 1520, which would make various technical and assorted changes to the Fish and Game Code—including amendments to the state’s duck stamp program to make it more efficient and effective.

The California duck stamp program—which has limited funding derived from the annual sale of duck stamps required for waterfowl hunting—funds habitat, research, and other necessary projects that support waterfowl populations. A significant portion of this conservation work is done by contracting with nonprofit conservation groups that have expertise and experience in these areas.

While the duck stamp program benefits from certain statutory exemptions related to state contracting requirements, it does not currently enjoy the exemptions outlined in the Fish and Game code. Specifically, the program lacks the exemption for certain conservation work—such as grading wetlands or planting waterfowl-friendly vegetation—that non-profits, public agencies, and tribes are authorized to perform under Section 1501.5.

Without the exemption provided under Section 1501.5, time-sensitive duck stamp habitat projects—on state lands in particular—face higher costs and are subject to significant delays. Assembly Bill 1520 aims to extend the nonprofit contracting exemption under Section 1501.5 to duck stamp projects to improve these processes.

Most recently, this bill has passed the Assembly and will be heard next in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water.

Sustainable Groundwater Management: California Assembly Bill 929 adds the term “managed wetlands” to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. In turn, this language prohibits a groundwater sustainability agency from imposing fees upon a managed wetland. An additional benefit of this bill is a sweeping commitment to the no net loss policy for wetlands, ensuring regulatory protections for some of the most sensitive areas in the state.

Wetlands across California are impacted more than any other ecosystem in the state and are essential in providing more opportunities for wildlife and migrating waterfowl.

Delta’s policy team recently testified in support of this bill at its first Senate hearing in the Committee on Natural Resources and Water and is pleased to report that the bill passed the committee on a 4-3 vote.

Habitat Conservation Fund: Senate Bill 427 is a bill that will help support state public refuges—such as Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, and others—in California. Specifically, the legislative text outlines amendments to the Fish and Game code concerning the Habitat Conservation Fund, originally established by the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990.

The primary provision of this bill is to mandate the indefinite annual transfer of $30 million from the general fund to the Habitat Conservation Fund, continuing the financial support previously set to expire in 2030. Delta’s policy team signed onto a letter of support for this bill with the California Waterfowl Association and Audubon and are happy to report that SB 427 has passed its final hearing in the Senate and has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife. Delta’s team will continue to advocate for this legislation as it continues through the Assembly.

Possible Mute Swan Season: Assembly Bill 764—introduced by the California Waterfowl Association—is a piece of legislation submitted with intention to open a season on mute swans in California. The bill text would amend Section 3801 of the Fish and Game code to include mute swans among the nongame birds that can be taken or possessed without a hunting license, aligning them with existing provisions for other nongame birds such as the English sparrow and starling.

California is home to large populations of swans throughout the state, but Californians have never had the opportunity to hunt them. Mute swans, in particular, are causing significant damage to crops in the Central Valley, which is the precipice of this bill. Delta’s policy team signed onto a joint letter of support with CWA regarding this bill but, unfortunately, the bill was recently placed on suspense (put on pause) in Senate Appropriations.

Proposition 4 Fund Security Concerns: Senate Bill 556—which aims to allocate $21.5 million to the Wildlife Conservation Board for multiple benefit floodplain restoration projects in various counties—seeks to gain funding for projects via money within a fund generated by the passing of Proposition 4.

Proposition 4, which passed last November, authorizes bonds for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, and protecting communities and natural lands from climate risks. This includes $25 million that will be directed to support enhanced habitat conditions for managed wetlands, as well as water-related projects for the Central Valley Project Improvement Act wetlands and the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

SB 556 does not define where the money in the proposed bill will be acquired from, but, truthfully, the fund generated by Proposition 4 is the only applicable source, rerouting money from other initiatives outlined in the proposition.

Delta’s team recently signed onto a letter suggesting amendments to the bill that would explicitly outline that money for SB 556 cannot be obtained from Proposition 4. Delta’s team opposes this bill as it is currently written, but if these amendments were accepted, that position would shift to neutrality.

Learn more about SWIP’s success.

Canada: Federal

Manitoba Shallow Wetland Incentive Program Update: SWIP builds on Delta’s successful model of wetland conservation adopted by Manitoba in 2018 as part of the province’s Growing Outcomes for Watersheds, aka the GROW Program. GROW was established as a $204 million trust that includes the provision of $2.5 million annually for wetland conservation. Local watershed districts administer 10-year contracts to conserve ephemeral and temporary wetlands.

The latest round of annual grants awarded this spring, which will distribute more than $2.4 million to several watershed districts, adds an additional 2,630 acres to the existing 9,925 acres for a total of 12,556 cumulative acres enrolled. This represents an astonishing 50,000 shallow wetland basins conserved through 10-year agreements, protecting the most vulnerable wetlands—those in cropland— with annual payments of $50 to $100 per acre.

Do you want to stay involved with issues that are threatening the future of waterfowl hunting? Now is the time to make your voice heard by registering for Delta Waterfowl’s Duck Hunters Action Alert System. Delta Waterfowl’s policy team will send you emails and alerts when issues that impact you arise and provide you with the tools and resources to engage with lawmakers. Text DELTA WATERFOWL to 52886, or click here today to sign up!