On June 24, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing to consider four bills related to wildlife conservation, water forecasting, and recreational access. Among the legislation discussed, a key focus was H.R. 3858, the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and co-led by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA).
The bill would reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (Trust Fund), which is in its 75th year and is set to expire in September 2026. It is funded by excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel that annually supports over $700 million in conservation, boating access and aquatic education initiatives across all 50 states.
Dave Mico, Acting Deputy Director for Operations at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, testified in support of H.R. 3858, stating the bill would reauthorize the Trust Fund for five additional years and make technical adjustments to modernize and streamline the program. “The Sport Fish Restoration Act is the cornerstone of America’s conservation heritage,” Mico stated. “The program supports the operation of over 320 fish hatcheries stocking more than a billion sport fish annually, maintains over 9,000 public access sites and delivers aquatic education to more than 850,000 people each year.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) reiterated the significance of the Trust Fund during her remarks, calling it “a vital program” and highlighting its success over the past 75 years in supporting fisheries conservation and recreational boating infrastructure. “This is done by a decades-old user-pay, public-benefits approach which has strengthened outdoor recreation opportunities for boaters and anglers,” said Dingell. “The bill would extend the Trust Fund through 2030, reduce the excise tax on aerated bait containers from 10% to 3%, and expand support for alternative marine fuels through the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program.”
Dingell emphasized that the bill "boasts a broad coalition of supporters, from voters, hunters, conservationists, and industry leaders like the National Marine Manufacturers Association,” and is essential for continuing to build upon a successful legacy.
Additional bills discussed included:
- H.R. 1676 (Make SWAPs Efficient Act) – Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL)
- H.R. 3538 (Wildlife Confiscations Network Act) – Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)
- H.R. 3857 (Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act) – Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX)
NMMA strongly supports the reauthorization of the Trust Fund and will continue to advocate for the passage of H.R. 3858. The recreational boating industry thanks Reps. Dingell and Wittman for their leadership in championing this critical legislation for boaters and anglers nationwide.
The recreational boating community is encouraged to get involved in helping to protect public access to our nation’s waters, by urging members of Congress to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and support science-based solutions that preserve aquatic ecosystems and recreational boating for generations to come.
For more information, contact Clay Crabtree, Senior Director of Public Policy at
[email protected].
