Coalition Pushes For New Fish, Wildlife Funding

A coalition of conservation, education, government, and business leaders has formed to help secure funding for fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Intent of the new Alliance for America's Fish and Wildlife (AAFW) is to secure passage of the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647).
Once passed, the bill will redirect $1.3 billion in existing royalties annually from the development of energy and mineral resources on federal lands and waters to conserve fish and wildlife.
"This solution will not require taxpayers or businesses to pay more, but instead allows all Americans to become investors in fish and wildlife conservation," the AAFW said.
At present, taxpayers pay hundreds of millions of dollars annually to restore threatened and endangered species, costs that could be reduced if proactive conservation measures are implemented.
"Proactive conservation is good for wildlife, good for taxpayers, good for business, and good for our communities," the coalition added. "The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would provide the needed resources for proactive conservation nationwide."
Not since enactment of Pittman-Robertson in 1937 and Dingell-Johnson (Sport Fish Restoration) in 1950 has there been such an opportunity to obtain conservation funding, said AAFW, calling the bill "the most important conservation legislation in a generation."
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation President Jeff Crane said, “America's hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and boaters have been the primary funders of state-based conservation efforts to this day. This recommendation simply directs funding for conservation from other sectors that use our natural resources.”
Eric Sutton, Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, added, “For decades, wildlife conservation in the U.S. has largely depended on the unique and highly successful system where hunters and anglers willingly provide most of the funding for wildlife conservation work.
“But we need to do more, and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would provide a sustainable, solution-based answer to funding conservation of fish and wildlife species.”