- 1. Historical Context of theWildlife and Sport Fish
RestorationProgramJohn F. OrganChristina ZarrellaU.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
2. Origins Late 1800s/early 1900s - wildlife conservation became
established largely through the efforts of conservation
organizations such as the Boone and Crockett Club as mostly a
program of refuges, game breeding, law enforcement, predator
control, and regulation of seasons and bag limits. 3. Conservation
Pioneers Man and Nature - George Perkins Marsh Yellowstone Park
Protection Act John Lacey Lacey Act New York Zoological Society
Madison Grant Migratory Bird Treaty 4. Roosevelt Era 1908
Conference of Governors 5. Wildlife Management Origins Up to circa
1905, dominant paradigm was toPerpetuate, rather than to improve or
create Hunting thought of as something that musteventually
disappear Restrictive regulations designed to string out adwindling
supply Better law enforcement and prohibition of market hunting
were thought to be the answer 6. Science as a Tool Novel concept at
advent of 20th century Early naturalists discovered, catalogued,
anddescribed Realization that species are not like planets
orgeologic strata different in that civilizations candestroy them
New breed of naturalists would not accept this 7. Science as a Tool
1924: Herb Stoddard, Bobwhite Quail andland management in Georgia
1928: Aldo Leopold and the Game Surveys 8. RESTORATION PHASE
POST-1920 AMERICA Population primarily Urban Hunters increasing (3
million in 1910; 6 million in1920). Sportsmens organizations
decline 9. The Need for Federal Funding Excise Tax on sporting arms
and ammunitionestablished in 1918 with intent to fund Migratory
BirdTreaty Act implementation. 1925 - Federal Hunting Stamp
proposed and RefugeBill drafted. Bill failed to pass Congress. AFWA
recommended tax be used to fund Refuge Bill Congress repealed all
Excise Taxes Hoover reinstated Excise Tax during depression for
aperiod set to expire in 1938 10. LEOPOLD GAME SURVEY OF NORTH
CENTRAL STATES: 1928-1930 11. 1930 AMERICAN GAME POLICY Land
acquisition Partnerships:landowners/hunters/public Experiment
state-by-state ways partnership yieldsmanagement Research (find
facts) Joint conservation program with hunters andprotectionists
together with scientists and landowners Establish wildlife
management profession Adequate, equitable, secure $ 12. Franklin
Roosevelt Era Ding Darling comes to Washington in 1934 Heads Bureau
of Biological Survey Establishes Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit
System 13. Carl Shoemaker Oregon Fish and Game Commission Chief
1930 - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Wildlife Resources 14. Carl
Shoemaker 1937 - During 2nd North American WildlifeConference,
Shoemaker, Darling and others discussedthe decade-old Refuge and
Hunting Stamp Bill Shoemaker writes 1st draft of Wildlife
Restoration Act John Burnham, president of American GameProtective
Association (now WMI) was on AFWAcommittee that drafted 1925 Bill
Shoemaker goes to SAAMI meeting in New York; withBurnhams help gets
Industrys endorsement 15. Senator Key Pittman Chair of Senate
Special Committee on WildlifeResources Shoemaker asks him to
sponsor the Bill He readilyagrees 16. Congressman A. Willis
Robertson 1926 1932 Virginia Commissioner of Game andInland
Fisheries Member of Leopolds 1930 American Game PolicyCommittee
1933 1946 U.S. Congress House of Representatives 1946 1966 U.S.
Senate Chair House Special Committee on Wildlife 17. Congressman A.
Willis Robertson Robertsons 29 words: ...and which shall include a
prohibition against the diversion of license fees paid by hunters
for any other purpose than the administration of said State fish
and game department... 18. Senate Deliberations Bill introduced in
House and Senate on July 20, 1937 Senator Wallace H. White (ME): We
have the time in this country when many species of our game life
will disappear altogether unless the people of the country arouse
themselves, and unless there are adopted measures of conservation
and measures of restorationThis Bill recognizes this great
necessity.I believe the people of the country will give
wholehearted approval to the efforts of the Congress to stay the
wanton destruction of our game life which has been going on over
the years. 19. House Deliberations Robertsons Committee did not
have jurisdiction Agriculture Committee ruled over Bills
involvingBureau of Biological Survey Chair Scott Lucas (IL), an
ardent hunter, was notaggressive in pushing Bill Shoemaker sent
telegrams to all Garden Clubs andWomens groups in Illinois urging
them to contactLucas For Gods sake, Carl, take the women off my
backand Ill move the Bill immediately 20. September 2, 1937
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs the Bill intolaw. Within
12 months, 43 of 48 States enact laws assentingto provisions of Act
prohibiting use of Hunter licenserevenues for purposes other than
administration offish and wildlife agency. 21. Implementation USFWS
Director Ira Gabrielson puts Albert Day incharge Day immediately
begins meetings with State directors 22. 3 Types of State Projects
Allowed Purchase of Land for Wildlife Rehabilitation Purposes
Development of Land to make it more suitable for wildmammals and
birds Research projects set up on a definite basis anddirected to
the solution of problems that stand in theway of wildlife
restoration 23. Trained and Competent Policy created requiring
State agency personnel hiredto work on P-R to be trained and
competent. USFWS had to approve before they were hired. One of the
chief difficulties we have encountered andone of the most
discouraging things in theadministration of the wildlife resources
of thiscountry has been the large turnover in theadministrative
officers of the various state gamedepartments. Albert Day 24.
Management Added 1955 Amendment allowing P-R funds to be used
formanagement of wildlife areas and facilities, exclusiveof public
relations and law enforcement. Also allowed excise taxes to be
directly apportioned tostates by USFWS instead of being
appropriated byCongress 25. Hunter Education Early 1970s Amendments
adding excise taxes tohandguns and archery equipment Approved use
of one-half of these revenues for HunterEducation programs. 26.
Origins of Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act 1939
Congressman Frank Buck proposes excise tax 1941 10% E.T. imposed to
fund war effort 1946 Buck reintroduces Bill 1947 John Dingell, Sr.
introduces Bill 1949 Dingell and Senator Johnson introduce Bill
1950 D-J Sport Fish Restoration Bill passes 27. Wallop-Breaux
Amendments 1979 Senator Jennings Randolph and CongressmanJohn
Breaux introduce legislation to expand SFR E.T. 1982 Sport Fishing
Association develops compromisethat substitutes motor boat fuels
tax and import duties 1984 Breaux and Senator Malcolm Wallop
getAmendment passed 28. Wallop-Breaux Amendments Dramatically
Increased Program funding Requires Boating Access Program Allowed
funding for Aquatic Resources Education Split Freshwater and
Saltwater funding Subsequent Amendments: Coastal Wetlands
Conservation Grant Program Clean Vessel Act Program Boating
Infrastructure Grant Program 29. 2000 Improvement Act Multi-State
Conservation Grant Program Enhanced Firearm and Bowhunter Education
andSafety Program (Section 10) Funding for 4 Fisheries Commissions
Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council 30. Protecting
License Dollars Robertsons 29 Words Legacy of WSFR Program Protects
license revenues and assets acquired withlicense revenues: Lands,
Vehicles, Interest, Buildings,Equipment.. Snapshot: During February
2009 WSFR RegionalOffices were actively involved in preventing
10diversions nationwide 31. Join the celebration - Its YOUR Nature!
Visit: www.wsfr75.comLike WSFR 75 on Facebook + Follow WSFR75 on
Twitter 32. Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and theEvolution of
American Wildlife ConservationCurtis Taylor, John Organ, Christina
Zarrella, RonEssig 33. Impact of the Pittman-Robertson
WildlifeRestoration Act The Act enabled (demanded) the professional
management of wildlife, and transformed how State fish and wildlife
agencies operate. How? 34. Prussian Forestry Model o Professional
societies to establish standards o Universities to train in these
standards o Agencies to do the technical work 35. Provided Funding
o To hire trained professionals o To have trained professionals
conduct research o This led to the profession of wildlife, and
later fish, management to become SCIENCE-DRIVEN and ACCOUNTABLE 36.
For State fish and wildlifeagencies to participate inthe Wildlife
Restorationprogram, they had todedicate their huntinglicense
revenue to thewildlife agency. 37. This same model wasused for the
later SportFish Restorationprogram. 38. Today, fish and wildlife
management is a formalprofession with training, professional
organizations,and even certification. 39. By 2011, more than $6.4
billion in WildlifeRestoration funds have been apportioned to
Statefish and wildlife agencies. In 2009, States usedthese funds
for:Operation & Maintenance0.62 Research & Surveys6.3Hunter
Education7.3 33.2 Coordination & Admin12.4Capital Development
&StockingTechnical AssistanceLand Acquisition 15.5Outreach22.5
40. Some Successes o Appalachian Ruffed grouse - 12 study sites, 10
states o Joint Wild turkey 9 study sites, 2 states o Atlantic coast
striped bass - $19M over 10 years o Among many others. o Long-term
stable funding key 41. Black Bear - 1940 42. Whats next? While WSFR
has provided successes, many decliningfish and wildlife species are
not covered by these twoprograms. We need support from a broader
segment of thepublic to benefit all fish and wildlife species 43.
Whats Missing? Vested Self-Interest and Passion 44. The Wildlife
Restoration Act, and later Sport FishRestoration Act, have
transformed fish and wildlifeConservation in the U.S.Thank you to
our many partners including otherstate and federal fish and
wildlife agencies, industry,conservation NGOs, and the anglers,
boaters,hunters and shooters.
