People who hunt, shoot, fish and boat are providing more than $1 billion for 2019 in annual national funding for state wildlife agencies from revenues generated by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is distributing the funds as of April 1 to all 50 states and U.S. territories from allocations authorized by Congress. The funds are generated through excise taxes on hunting, shooting and fishing equipment and boat fuel.
To date the Service has distributed more than $21 billion in apportionments for state conservation and recreation projects.
The recipient state wildlife agencies have matched these funds with approximately $7.3 billion throughout the years, primarily through hunting and fishing license revenues.
Authorized by Congress through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, the funds support critical state conservation and outdoor recreation projects. They are administered through the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program, which is long considered the foundation of fish and wildlife conservation in the United States.
“For many decades funds generated by these programs have consistently supported millions of acres and miles of outdoor recreation access and wildlife habitat in this country,” said Margaret Everson, USFWS Principal Deputy Director.
“Thanks to industry, states and hunters, shooters, anglers and boaters, America’s wildlife and natural resources and the opportunities they provide will be available for generations to come.”
For the state-by-state listing of the Service’s final apportionment for the Wildlife Restoration Program and the Sport Fish Restoration program funds for Fiscal Year 2019, click here.
For more information about the WSFR program, click here.