Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

Assistant Director for Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration ProgramAssistant Director for Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

North American Wildlife Conservation Model

Fish and wildlife belong to all North American citizens.

Fish and wildlife must be managed in such a way that their populations will be sustained forever.

Wildlife Conservation ModelPrinciples

Wildlife as Public Trust Resources; Elimination of Markets for Game; Allocation of Wildlife by Law; Wildlife Should Only be Killed for a Legitimate

Purpose; Wildlife Are Considered an International

Resource; Science is the Proper Tool for Discharge of

Wildlife Policy; Democracy of Hunting.

Wildlife & Sport FishRestoration Programs

Long history of success

Funded through excise taxes on shooting, archery, angling, and recreational boating equipment

Cycle of Success

U.S . Fish & Wildlife Service allocates funds to State fish &

wildlife agencies.

Better fishing, boating, hunting & wildlife-associated

recreation.

State agencies implement programs

& projects.

Anglers, hunters, boaters, purchase

fishing/ hunting equipment & motor boat fuels.

States receive grants.

Manufacturers pay excise tax on that

equipment and boaters pay fuel

taxes.

Wildlife Restoration$215M - 2007

Can be used for: Reintroduction of declining

wildlife species Wildlife population surveys Species research Hunter Education Acquisition of wildlife

habitat Shooting Ranges

22%

36%

11%

31%

Firearms

Pistols

Ammo

Archery

Manufacturer’s Excise TaxesCollected Annually for Wildlife Restoration

Manufacturer’s Excise Taxes are collectedon firearms, ammo, and archery equipment.

Wildlife Trust Fund receives revenue.

Funds are distributed togrant programs, administration, States and Territories.

Wildlife Trust Funds are apportioned annually to States/Territories through the Wildlife Restoration Grant Program.

Hunter Education Programs

Provides funding to develop/maintain/enhance: Hunting education & sporting firearm safety programs Bow hunter and archery education and safety programs Archery and firearm shooting ranges

Courtesy of Kentucky DNR

Multi-State Conservation Grants

This competitive grant program provides $6 million annually for fish and wildlife conservation projects identified by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Sport Fish Restoration$349M - 2007

Can be used for: Fish research Reintroducing declining Sport

Fish species Restoring aquatic habitat Aquatic Education Constructing boat ramps and

fishing piers Boating Access

SPORT FISH RESTORATION EXCISE TAXESCollected Annually

59%

16% 11%

7%

7%

Import Duties

Fishing Equipment

Gas Motorboat

Gas Small Engines

Rods, Tackle Boxes &Electric Motors

Manufacturer’s excise taxes on fishing equipment , import duties, motorboat & small engine fuel taxes, and interest earned on Trust Fund are collected.

Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fundreceives revenue.

Funds are distributed togrant programs, administration, States and Territories.

Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fundsare apportioned annually to States/Territories through the Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program.

Boating Infrastructure Grant Program

Noncompetitive Grants (Tier I)

Competitive Grants(Tier II)

Funding tie-up facilities for transient, non-trailerable boats longer than 26 feet.

Clean Vessel ActProvides funding for pump out and dump stations for

the disposal of vessel sewage.

Coastal Wetlands

Funds wetlands work in:

Louisiana by COE ($76.4 million)

North American Wetlands Conservation Act ($16.4 million) - FWS

National Coastal Wetlands ($16.4 million) – FWS

Program Integrity

WSFR Program Administration AuditsAnnually

State (Grantee) Programmatic/Fiscal Audits5 year Cycle

Current Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program Issues

Few Recognize the Importance of Excise Taxes to these Programs and to the North American Conservation Model

Pending reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration Program

Concerns about declining participation rates for hunting/angling

Questions or Comments