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The American Canoe Association (ACA) would like to go on record 

 before this Subcommittee as opposed to the funding plan known as 

 "Teaming With Wildlife" which is being promoted by the International 

 Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (lAFWA). The ACA 

 maintains that this plan is not targeted toward our nation's most 

 pressing natural resource needs and that it will not serve the needs of 

 the outdoor recreation community being called on to fund it. 



INTRODUCTION 



The American Canoe Association (ACA) is a national organization with 

 a direct and affiliate membership of over 50,000 individuals, clubs, 

 summer camps, paddling schools and small businesses. The bulk of 

 this membership is comprised of individuals who enjoy canoeing, 

 kayaking and rafting as lifetime recreational pursuits. The ACA is the 

 nation's oldest recreation based conservation organization, and the 

 nation's largest paddlesport organization. As such, the ACA is 

 dedicated to serving the interests of the 24.8 million Americans who 

 go canoeing, kayaking or rafting each year. The ACA is concerned 

 with issues related to waterway access for paddlers and to the quality 

 of the nation's rivers, streams, lakes, coastal waters, and their 

 surrounding environments. 



BASIS FOR OPPOSITION 



For the ACA, the most troubling aspect of "Teaming With Wildlife" is 

 that this is not a comprehensive funding initiative targeted at the 



