Sport Fish Restoration & Wildlife Restoration Acts Generate $1.1B in Funding for State Agencies
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced $1.1 billion in annual funding for state wildlife agencies through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (SFRBTF) and Wildlife Restoration Program. NMMA has been a longtime supporter of SFRBTF, also known as Dingell-Johnson Act, as it is the backbone for fisheries conservation.
The funds, which are distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, support critical state fishing and boating projects, that otherwise might not be sustainable. Boaters and anglers lead the way in preserving our nation’s waterways, contributing $600 million annually to SFRBTF from motor boat fuel and fishing equipment excise taxes.
“For nearly eight decades, the nation’s hunters and anglers have generated billions of dollars to protect wildlife and habitat simply by purchasing items that help them engage in the outdoor activities they enjoy,” Zinke said. “Their support has helped state wildlife agencies protect our country’s environmental legacy for future generations of hunters, fishers, recreationalists, and conservationists.”
State-by-state listings of the final Fiscal year 2017 apportionments of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund can be found here. To view the original Department of the Interior press release, click here.