a federal government council made up mostly of hunters and hunting advocates met for the first time friday to begin its efforts to advise the interior secretary on how to improve public awareness of the benefits of international recreational hunting interior secretary ryan zinke created the international wildlife conservation council in november to provide recommendations on conservation issues specifically to tout the role of hunters in conservation and increase public awareness of economic benefits that result from us citizens traveling abroad to hunt according to a press release the majority of the 16 council members have a connection to trophy hunting or groups that advocate for hunting as a way to support conservation according to a federal database of government advisory committees white house trump opinion on elephant hunting unchanged zinke pushes back on insults innuendo about his travel costs principal deputy director of the us fish and wildlife service greg sheehan center prepares for the first meeting of the international wildlife conservation council at the show more abc news six of the members are listed as us hunters actively engaged in international andor domestic hunting conservation in the official list of committee members others are listed as affiliated with wildlife and habitat conservation organizations like safari club international other groups related to international hunting and some have connections to firearms manufacturers or the national rifle association several animal advocacy groups said in their public comments that the council is biased and does not include members with a scientific expertise in conservation built on the backs of hunters and anglers the american conservation model proves to be the example for all nations to follow for wildlife and habitat conservation zinke said in that press release the conservation and longterm health of big game crosses international boundaries this council will provide important insight into the ways that american sportsmen and women benefit international conservation from boosting economies and creating hundreds of jobs to enhancing wildlife conservation zinke is an avid hunter and has said that he wants to expand access to hunting and fishing on public lands in the us hunters anglers contribute billions to conservation this huntingfishing season doi team is highlighting best huntfish on publiclands pictwittercom5jxzkv9vqb secretary ryan zinke secretaryzinke september 18 2017 the committee expects to provide recommendations by fall of this year on multiple issues relating to the import of animals legally hunted overseas to the united states those recommendations are expected to include recommending removal of barriers to the importation into the united states of legally hunted wildlife an ongoing review of bans on importing hunted animals and providing recommendations that seek to resume the legal trade of those items where appropriate and recommending ways to streamline or expedite import permits according to the groups charter the governments policies on trophy hunting permits have been a source of controversy over the last few years the trump administration faced intense public scrutiny after announcing that it would begin allowing permits to import elephant trophies from