Why It Matters: To properly conserve natural resources and provide quality hunting and fishing opportunities, state fish and wildlife agencies are charged with a long list of responsibilities. Growing operational costs necessitate adjustments to the revenue that is generated through the American System of Conservation Funding and its complements to ensure that our time-honored outdoor traditions persist.
Highlights:
- Michigan SB 276 would modernize license fees to ensure that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is adequately funded in light of growing operational costs.
- Michigan SB 277 would alleviate a legislative hang-up that has prohibited the Michigan Legislature from reimbursing the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for lost revenue from discounted licenses.
- Wisconsin AB 315 would reauthorize and modernize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, a complementary revenue stream for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Last week, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) expressed support for pieces of legislation that would ensure that the respective state fish and wildlife agencies in Michigan and Wisconsin have the resources needed to manage the storied fish and wildlife resources of each state. Wisconsin Assembly Bill 315 would reauthorize and modernize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund – which CSF has actively supported throughout the legislative session – while Michigan Senate Bills 276 and 277 would modestly adjust license fees while ensuring that discounted licenses offered to seniors and youth are reimbursed back to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
In written testimony supporting Knowles-Nelson reauthorization, CSF emphasized the importance of the Fund as a supplement to the American System of Conservation Funding, its popularity among Wisconsinites, and the value offered by refocusing the Fund towards managing habitats and access to already-acquired state lands, while retaining the ability to continue purchasing public lands that offer sporting opportunities. Ensuring that there is no-net-loss of accessible public hunting lands is a priority of CSF, and this legislation serves to keep Wisconsin’s land acquisition process intact.
CSF also provided oral testimony in favor of Michigan SB 276 and 277, advocating for a modest adjustment to hunting and fishing licenses to keep pace with the growing operational costs, including departmental staffing, habitat management, enforcement of fish and game laws, and the provision of public access. Even with the proposed increases, Michigan would remain one of the least expensive states for residents to hunt and fish in the Great Lakes region. Further, the package would alleviate an unintended technical hang-up that prohibited the state agency from being reimbursed for discounted licenses, even though the mechanism has been in place for decades. Reimbursing state fish and wildlife agencies for the revenue lost from these discounts is another CSF policy priority, which serves to lower participation barriers for deserving groups without sacrificing conservation funding.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation will continue to support legislation that ensures state fish and wildlife agencies have access to the resources that they need to provide quality sporting opportunities.
