[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8870--SEPT. 21, 2012

Proclamation 8870 of September 21, 2012

National Hunting and Fishing Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

From our highest peaks and most historic parks to the quiet woods and
streams where generations of families have connected with the land
around them, America's great outdoors have always played an important
role in our national life. On National Hunting and Fishing Day, we
celebrate our rich legacy of conservation, recognize sportsmen and women
who have carried that legacy forward, and renew the spirit of
stewardship that has moved countless Americans to help preserve our
natural heritage for future generations.
As keepers of an age-old tradition, sportsmen and women share a deep and
abiding bond with our environment. Generations have worked tirelessly to
protect the lands and waters they cherish, and today, hunters and
anglers stand among our strongest conservation advocates. This year, we
also mark the 75th anniversary of the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act, which provided permanent and dependable funding for
habitat conservation. This milestone recalls the many ways sportsmen and
women have contributed to conservation of the public lands we all enjoy.
Their legacy is all around us, and as we take time to appreciate
America's natural beauty, let us give thanks to all those who have
helped make our country what it is today.
Fulfilling our role as environmental stewards in the 21st century
demands that we find the best ideas at the grassroots level and empower
States, communities, and nonprofits with the tools they need to protect
the land they love. Through the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, my
Administration has striven to meet those challenges and lay the
foundation for a comprehensive, community-driven conservation strategy.
From hunters and anglers to tribal leaders and young people, we are
engaging stakeholders of all backgrounds and beliefs--and moving
forward, we will continue to find new ways to make the Federal
Government a better partner in preserving our environment today and
tomorrow.
As Americans, each of us has an equal share in the land and an equal
responsibility to protect it. On National Hunting and Fishing Day, we
pay tribute to the community of sportsmen and women who have kept faith
with that fundamental principle, and who will continue to help drive our
environmental progress in the years to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 22, 2012, as
National Hunting and Fishing Day. I call upon all Americans to observe
this day with appropriate programs and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA