Sport Fish Restoration Act Celebrates 75th Year

By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

As we reflect on the importance of the Sport Fish Restoration Act (Dingell-Johnson) during the celebration of its 75th anniversary, Alabama and the rest of the nation have benefitted greatly from the funds derived from the excise tax on fishing equipment and tackle, boats and fuel for recreational marine vessels.

With funding raised from excise taxes on shooting and hunting equipment and ammunition, the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson) has collected $29 billion since its passage in 1937. Add $12 billion from the Sport Fish Restoration Act and the grand total of $41 billion has been raised for outdoor recreation in the nation.

Because those acts were passed long ago, Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville has joined with Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo to introduce the Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act to update the legislation and close loopholes that allow foreign manufacturers to avoid those excise levies.

“Alabama is proud to be home to hundreds of small businesses who make sporting equipment that outdoorsmen and conservationists rely on,” Senator Tuberville said. “The last thing these business owners need is to be punished for producing goods right here in the USA. Under President Trump, we are laser-focused on doing everything we can to encourage domestic production. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Crapo which closes a loophole allowing foreign sellers to exploit our domestic retailers and rob money from our state conservation programs.” 

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Commissioner Chris Blankenship applauded the legislation to update those two revenue sources so important to the quality of life in Alabama.

“We applaud Senator Tuberville’s support of the Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “These funds are critical to supporting outdoor activities in the U.S., and we rely on them heavily in Alabama. This legislation will help secure state conservation funding and ensure all Americans have access to quality outdoor recreation throughout the country.”

Mike Leonard, Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association, echoed Commissioner Blankenship’s sentiments. 

“This legislation will recover tens of millions of dollars for conservation, allowing us to better support recreational fishing and the sportfishing industry, which contributes $230 billion to the U.S. economy,” Leonard said. “For 75 years, our industry has proudly contributed to this user-pay, public-benefit program that serves as a hallmark of the American conservation model. We appreciate Senators Tuberville and Crapo for their support for this bill and are eager to work with both chambers and the administration to see it signed into law.”

Matthew Marshall, Chief of Fisheries for ADCNR’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division, said the Sport Fish Restoration funds are crucial to enhancing the quality and quantity of outdoor recreation opportunities for Alabamians and visitors.

“Sport Fish Restoration funds provide a majority of our funding,” Marshall said. “About 75 percent of our funding comes from excise tax on fishing equipment and tackle as well as marine and small engine fuel. We get those funds apportioned according to size of our state and the number of anglers and boaters we have in the state.”

Marshall said the Sport Fish Restoration money maintains three fish hatcheries – Eastaboga, Carbon Hill and Marion – more than 100 public boat ramps and 23 Alabama Public Fishing Lakes. That funding is also used to survey public lakes and reservoirs to determine the health of the fisheries. Alabama is renowned for its great fishing in the Tennessee River chain (Guntersville, Pickwick, Wheeler and Wilson), Lake Eufaula, Claiborne, Lay Lake and Millers Ferry, just to name a few.

“It also provides funding for aquatic education where we can get in front of the public and in schools,” Marshall said. “We can get across our conservation message and how important aquatic resources are to clean water and how the excise dollars affect them.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind conservation model in the world where the user pays, user benefits.”

Marshall said those funds are not used for just the largemouth bass but for all sport fish species. Restoration efforts are underway for Gulf-strain striped bass, southern walleye and redeye bass. WFF Fisheries also provides technical assistance to landowners and other agencies to help better protect or mitigate any kind of impact on aquatic resources.

“Back when they were trying to get the Sport Fish Restoration Act passed in the ’40s, these resources needed a lot of attention,” Marshall said. “Now we have cleaner water, abundant sport fish fisheries and more access for the public.

“I am thankful for the funding we have. I think we’re using those dollars wisely and providing as many opportunities as possible to the public.”

Colonel Scott Bannon, ADCNR’s Marine Resources Director, said those Sport Fish Restoration funds are used to benefit saltwater anglers as well.

“Sport Fish Restoration dollars are invaluable to ensure that we continue to do research at our hatcheries and we continue to repair and revitalize boat ramps and provide other fishing access opportunities,” Bannon said. “The Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores is funded primarily by Sport Fish, and we have been able to enhance valuable fish stocks, such as flounder, pompano and red drum. Without those dollars we would not be able to do that research or maintain that access for the public.”

Matt Thomas of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Conservation Investment (https://partnerwithapayer.org/) provided a national impact of 75 years of Sport Fish Restoration funding.

“I don’t know where to begin,” Thomas said. “It’s certainly been foundational in making sure that the sport fisheries and access to those sport fisheries are second to none and accessible to all Americans. Turning 75 this year, we’re certainly highlighting some of the accomplishments. Sport Fish Restoration funds are used to support more than 9,000 public boating and fishing access sites across the country. It helps support operation and maintenance of more than 300 state fish hatcheries that stock a billion fish annually.

“As important, 850,000-plus folks receive aquatic education, which includes introducing people to fishing and aquatic education and promoting becoming ethical anglers. On a national scale, it supports state fish biologists, who are monitoring and managing more than 200 species of fish, including freshwater and marine fisheries.”

Thomas said the Sport Fish Restoration program is often referred to as “America’s System of Conservation,” using federal excise tax on equipment for fishing and boating.

“It’s really based on a simple concept – better fishing, better habitat and more opportunities,” he said. “Better access leads to more anglers who contribute to the system. That 10% manufacturers’ excise tax is an investment in fisheries conservation that is distributed to all the states and territories. Since its inception, it’s provided states with a steady, long-standing funding source for their conservation efforts. We have 50 million anglers in our country over age 6. That’s a lot of folks.

“The Wildlife Restoration Act was passed in 1937. Similar legislation was passed in 1950 for sport fisheries. Both of those combined have been around for a very long time and are probably the most envied conservation models in the world.”

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