Raise the political profile of the Yukon Fish and Game Association or risk being buried by organizations with competing interests, the group's members suggested Tuesday night.

To help accomplish that goal, the association's 29 members at the group's annual general meeting last night passed a resolution moved by Clayton White. It committed the newly-acclaimed board to research what it will take to fund the position of an executive director.

In his message as president, Jim Haney said the goal of the membership should be to establish the association as a force to be reckoned with. It should not, he said, be seen as merely a special interest group.

With 830 members, the association can and should influence territorial politics, said Haney, the veteran president who was acclaimed to his fourth one-year term last night.

By banding together, Haney suggested, the association can make the political parties recognize its potential influence in elections.

But Haney said as much as he would like to see that, it hasn't been a reality during his first three years.

Having an executive director, several members suggested, would provide the association with more ability to secure additional funding from private sources like foundations.

Having additional resources and an executive director, they added, would not only provide a higher profile of the many projects the association is involved with, but would also better position the organization to defend against competing interests.

There are, said one member, two powerful organizations in the Yukon that will put a fence around the territory while the association is asleep if it does not assert a strong political presence.

It was suggested the association contact fellow organizations across the country to find out more about funding opportunities that would provide for an executive director and an expanded profile in the territory.

Getting back to regular attendance at the two annual meetings of the Canadian Wildlife Federation would give the association face-to-face contact with individuals who have the answers, association member Larry Leigh suggested.

With the increase in competing interests from other groups and the evolution of land claims, more and more pressure is being put on the association to protect its interests, it was said.

Dev Hurlburt assured the members the work the association has done with its different projects is commendable. It is time, however, to jump into the political arena.

Having an executive director and the ability to search out $200,000 to $300,000 a year in additional funding would be a big boost in promoting not only the work the association does but also its position on different policies being developed.

'Big money, big poster,' Hurlburt said. 'Small money, small poster, and bigger posters get more attention.'

One only has to look at organizations like the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the money it brings in from Outside to promote its interests to see what is achievable, it was suggested.

White said the evolution of land claims in the Yukon has made it imperative the association become more involved, or resign itself to bystander status in the development of policies for management of the territory's fish and wildlife.

As each of the Yukon's 14 first nations reach final settlements, another renewable resource council is created and management of fish and wildlife in those areas becomes significantly more local, White pointed out.

He is also a member of the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, the territorial body that generally receives management recommendations from the local resource councils.

'If the Yukon Fish and Game Association cannot involve itself with management at the local level, we will be left behind,' White said. 'We will not be the Yukon Fish and Game Association, we will be the Whitehorse Fish and Game Association with 20 or 30 pet projects ... that is my concern.'

Several members also expressed their concern with the Yukon government's decision to cut core funding to the association last year by $10,000 to $25,000.

The government, it was argued by many, is getting a good deal, but yet has reduced its financial support.

John Carney said he's still fuming over the $10,000-reduction. He pointed out the Yukon Party made the cut at the same time Environment Minister Jim Kenyon paid the same amount for an Alberta consultant to come up with a report that said hunt farms are a good thing.

The association membership is staunchly opposed to hunt farms, and is at odds with the general practice of wildlife in captivity.

Serge Lamarche said the fish and game association is in a position to play hardball with the government if it doesn't want to recognize the value it's getting for the money it spends on the organization.

The government, he told the membership, tried to do the same thing to the Yukon Trapper's Association, by cutting back core funding but expecting the same level of service in return.

Lamarche said the trappers told the government it could take back the trapping programs and projects its association was managing on the government's behalf if it did not want to provide what the trappers felt was the required level of funding.

'And you know what? They found (the money),' he said.

In addition to the motion directing the board to explore creating an executive director position, there was also a motion to have the association come up with a written policy on the question of ownership of wildlife this year.

Haney was returned by acclamation as president, as were vice-president Wolf Riedl, secretary Barry Drury and treasurer Justin Rogers.

Remaining on as board members are: Carney, Manfred Hoefs, Doug Hogan, Jason Ivens, Paul Jacobs, Clint Sawicki and Chad Sjodin. Joining the board is Tom Wyers.

The financial statement released at the meeting shows the association has an operational surplus of $18,393.