Game Change

Beginning January 1, the California Department of Fish and Game with sport a new name - Department of Fish and Wildlife. This will leave just 12 states in the U.S. where wildlife management agencies still use the word "game" in their title.

The use of the nickname CalWild, as in CalFire, was also proposed and my be adopted in time.

AB 2402, signed by Governor Brown on September 25th, calls for more than just a change in name to reflect the agency's broader mission. Among other things, it streamlines the permitting processes; creates an environmental crimes task force; improves the agency's use of independent science; calls for the use of ecosystem-based management in formulating resource management plans; encourages intergovernmental coordination and nonprofit partnerships; and extends benefits to fish and game wardens.

According to Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), author of the bill, the new law "will enable the Department and the Commission to do a better job as public trustees for the state's fish and wildlife, and for the people they serve.” 
It started in 2010, with passage of AB 2376, also authored by Huffman, which required development of a strategic plan to enhance and improve the Department's capacity and effectiveness in protecting and managing the state's fish and wildlife, for their ecological values and for the benefit of the people - and so, the California Fish and Wildlife Vision Project was formed!


P.S. Not to worry, in replacing the name the State will not be wasting resources - throwing away mountains of paper, uniforms, etc. - in fact, the legislation requires use of existing supplies:

(d) No existing supplies, forms, insignias, signs, logos, uniforms, or emblems shall be destroyed or changed as a result of changing the name of the Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and those materials shall continue to be used until exhausted or unserviceable.