Excise taxes paid by hunters, trappers, fishermen and boaters nationwide add up to a $48 million boost to the budget of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced.
Some $30 million will pay for wildlife research, access to wildlife resources, shooting ranges and hunter education efforts. Another $18 million will pay for sportfish research and management, hatcheries and aquatic education programs. Deputy Fish and Game Commissioner Kevin Brooks said the money adds up to about a quarter of his department's $200 million annual budget.
"It's significant," Brooks said, noting the federal dollars are matched 3-to-1 by state money.
The funds comes from to the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration programs. Nationally, more than $18 billion is directed to the states by these two programs.
"Paid for by anglers, hunters, and trappers, the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration programs are undoubtedly the most successful fish and wildlife conservation programs in the world," Fish and Game Commissioner Sam Cotten said in a press release. "The funds have allowed our biologists to ensure that innumerable fish and wildlife species in our state not only persist, but thrive to provide sustainable food resources and recreational opportunities."
The sportfish money increased 4 percent from 2015, while the wildlife restoration money dropped 15 percent.
But in the eight years since 2008, sportfish money has dropped 10 percent while wildlife restoration funds have grown 108 percent.
Brooks attributed that sharp growth to "an unprecedented level of gun and ammo sales at the national level. It's off the charts."
He added the money has helped offset cuts in the state budget due to Alaska's fiscal crisis. "But it's left us scrambling to be able to match it," Brooks said.
In addition, $2.5 million in new funding is headed to Alaska via a state wildlife grant program, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Some $680,000 of that is directed to helping with the reintroduction of the wood bison in Alaska.
Funds are distributed to states and territories based on population and geographic area. They typically address conservation needs, such as research, wildlife surveys, species and habitat management.
"The state wildlife grant program funds meaningful research that contributes directly to the conservation of fish and wildlife species of concern and prevents listings of species under the federal Endangered Species Act," Cotten said, adding that it also provides basic information on little-studied wildlife.
Contact Mike Campbell at mcampbell(at)alaskadispatch.com