Why It Matters: West Virginia is home to some of the most stunning cold-water fisheries that are inhabited by many fish, including the state fish: the native brook trout. It is no secret that anglers and boaters are the primary funders of state level fisheries management (Sport Fish Restoration Act) and that is why Senate Bill 801 (SB 801) – Public Waterway Access Act (Act), and similar legislation, is important in continuing angler and boater access, and by extension, conservation funding.
Highlights:
- SB 801 required the West Virginia Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Division of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop guidelines and identify/implement potential locations for public access to the state’s rivers and streams for recreational purposes when a new bridge is being constructed, or an existing one is being replaced (when it is safe and practical to do so).
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter of support for SB 801, focusing on the importance of access and opportunity.
- In 2024, West Virginia introduced similar legislation (Senate Bill 425), but it failed to pass out of committee prior to adjournment.
- In 2013, Maryland passed similar legislation (House Bill 797), the Waterways Access Bill, which provided an opportunity to increase angling access throughout the state’s 10,000 miles of waterways and 4,000 miles of shoreline.
Lack of access is one of the biggest issues facing sportsmen and women today and is reported as the number one reason (over which state agencies have control) that lapsed hunters and anglers cite when asked why they no longer hunt or fish. Additionally, opportunities to expand angling access throughout the country have become increasingly limited in recent years due to increases in private ownership along waterways and attendant riparian rights limiting new access construction. Although state natural resource agencies have funds available to create angler access through Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (paid by boaters and anglers), many states have already “built out” the available and affordable angling access opportunities on limited riparian lands.
With outright land acquisition opportunities limited, states must look for new avenues for providing access to our nation’s waterways. One often overlooked opportunity is to prioritize the establishment of new access points when state highway transportation departments are planning, designing, and building bridges and roads along and across public waterways. Legislation like WV SB 801 is important for legislators to consider, so the states may continue to provide safe and accessible access points for anglers and boaters, which will help support participation and conservation for the long haul.
CSF looks forward to working with the West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to support initiatives that protect and enhance access and opportunity for the sportsmen and women (and visitors) of the Mountain State.
