Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

1. Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program Assistant Director for Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Wildlife & Sport FishRestoration Programs • Long history of success • Funded through excise taxes on shooting, archery, angling, and recreational boating equipment

5. Cycle of Success Anglers, hunters, boaters, purchase fishing/ hunting equipment & motor boat fuels. Better fishing, boating, hunting & wildlife-associated recreation. Manufacturers pay excise tax on that equipment and boaters pay fuel taxes. State agencies implement programs & projects. States receive grants. U.S . Fish & Wildlife Service allocates funds to State fish & wildlife agencies.

6. 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

7. Manufacturer’s Excise TaxesCollected Annually for Wildlife Restoration

8. Manufacturer’s Excise Taxes are collected • on firearms, ammo, and archery equipment. Wildlife Trust Fund receives revenue. • Funds are distributed to • grant programs, administration, States and Territories.

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

10. 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 Hunter Education Programs Courtesy of Kentucky DNR

11. 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.

12. 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

13. SPORT FISH RESTORATION EXCISE TAXESCollected Annually

14. 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 Fund • receives revenue. • Funds are distributed to • grant programs, administration, States and Territories.

15. Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Funds • are apportioned annually to States/Territories through the Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program.

16. 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.

17. Provides funding for pump out and dump stations for the disposal of vessel sewage. Clean Vessel Act

18. 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

19. Program Integrity WSFR Program Administration Audits Annually State (Grantee) Programmatic/Fiscal Audits 5 year Cycle

20. 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

21. Questions or Comments