Congress Protects Future Fisherman Foundation

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000" (H.R. 3671) was introduced by Representative Don Young (R-Alaska) to address mismanagement of administrative overhead within the Federal Aid Program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as reported by the General Accounting Office. H.R. 3671 is an amendment to the popular "Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act", otherwise known as the Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Act. The act recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is up for reauthorization in 2003.

H.R. 3671 has done an excellent job providing greater accountability and transparency in the administration of the Federal Aid program," stated American Sportfishing Association President Mike Hayden. "It's vital that America's anglers and boaters, along with the industry that pays the tax,gets their moneys' worth."

ASA worked closely with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and others, to ensure that funding for important sport fishing programs was protected in the final legislation. In particular, ASA lobbied for two key programs: the multi-state grants program and the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council.

Three million dollars is included in the final bill for a competitive multi-state grant program benefiting sport fish. ASA successfully argued that these programs have multiple state or national significance and can often be done cheaper cooperatively then if each state undertook them individually. One such program is ASA's Future Fisherman Foundation. The

Future Fisherman Foundation runs the widely acknowledged "Hooked on Fishing,Not on Drugs Program" that uses adult mentors to introduce children to fishing and environmental stewardship. Eighteen states and two U.S.

territories currently use the program. Thanks to a $150,000 grant expected from the new multi-state grant program, "Hooked on Fishing" will expand to eleven additional states with the potential to reach 9,000 kids per year in each of those states.

In addition to funding for the multi-state grant program, ASA pushed hard for monies for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (SFBPC). The Council was created to provide a formal mechanism to provide guidance to the Secretary of the Interior on sport fish restoration and other fishing and boating issues. The SFBPC has been recognized for its collaborative efforts and has undertaken many major assignments, most recently development of a stakeholder prepared blueprint for the future of the National Fish

Hatchery System, an effort led by ASA Vice President Norville Prosser. "As an industry that contributes to the fund, we view the SFBPC as an invaluable mechanism for ensuring that our voice is heard when decisions are made about the allocation of these dollars to sport fishing projects," said Prosser.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program is extremely important to the recreational fishing industry," explained Hayden. Anglers pay a little more for their equipment and fuel in the form of an excise tax and in return enjoy increased fishing and boating opportunities. These monies are deposited in the U.S. Treasury and then disbursed to state fish and game agencies for sport fish restoration, wetlands conservation, aquatic education, outreach, boat safety, and boating access and facilities projects. "These are projects supported by the industry that benefit virtually every angler and boater in America and as such must be protected."

(posted October 30, 2000)