2025 -- H 6083

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SPORT FISH RESTORATION

PROGRAM AS PART OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF CONSERVATION FUNDING

     Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Bennett, Solomon, Quattrocchi,
Paplauskas, J. Brien, Santucci, Casey, Roberts, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: March 13, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, More than a century ago, hunters and anglers were among the first

conservationists who realized America’s natural resources were in peril and could not sustain

unregulated harvest and habitat destruction; and

     WHEREAS, Sportsmen and women took it upon themselves to support laws that stopped

excessive harvesting of fish and wildlife, established state agencies to protect fish, wildlife, and

their habitat, and supported special fishing and hunting license fees to help fund the new

agencies’ efforts to provide healthy natural resources for future generations; and

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island House of Representatives then and now recognize that the

primary authority to protect and manage fish within their state waters resides in the state

agencies; and

     WHEREAS, Upon realizing that license fees alone were insufficient to restore and

sustain healthy fish populations, anglers supported excise taxes on fishing equipment to raise

additional funds to support restoration and enhancement efforts of the state agencies; and

     WHEREAS, The Sport Fish Restoration Program, which began 75 years ago with the

passage of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1950 (further expanded with the

Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1984) is a vital part of

conservation funding in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, A manufacturers excise tax on fishing equipment, along with an excise tax

on motorboat and small engine fuels, is mostly distributed back to the states through the U. S.

Fish and Wildlife Service for fisheries conservation, management, and angler and boater access;

and

     WHEREAS, This cooperative partnership between the sportfishing industry, anglers,

boaters, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state natural resource agencies has resulted in the

most successful model of fisheries management in the world, restoring and enhancing populations

across the United States and its territories; and

     WHEREAS, Since 1939, the combined contribution of the Wildlife and Sport Fish

Restoration Programs and license fees to state fish and wildlife agencies exceeds $78 Billion-

more than any other single conservation effort in American history-which constitute, collectively,

the American System of Conservation Funding; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

recognizes America’s anglers, boaters, the sportfishing industry, state fish and wildlife agencies,

and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their leading role in restoring healthy populations of

fish and aquatic resources, both game and non-game, to the abundance we see today with the help

of the Sport Fish Restoration Program, in this the 75th anniversary year of the program’s

establishment as part of the American System of Conservation Funding; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor of the State of Rhode Island,

Daniel J. McKee, to Mr. Terrence Gray, Director of the Rhode Island Department of

Environmental Management, and to the members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation.

This House also commends and appreciates the foresight and contributions from anglers, the

sportfishing industry, state fish and wildlife agencies, and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service on

behalf of our nation’s fisheries and aquatic resources.

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