The annual Sport Fish Restoration outstanding project awards given by the Fisheries Administration Section of the American Fisheries Society are intended to both highlight the importance and effectiveness of the Sport Fish Restoration program and recognize excellence in fisheries management, research, and education. The Sport Fish Restoration Program, also known as the Dingell-Johnson or Wallop-Breaux program after its primary Congressional sponsors, is an excise tax collected on fishing tackle, boats, and motorboat fuel. Revenues are returned to the states to enhance fisheries and boating activities. The program was first created in 1950 and has provided nearly $3 billion toward better fishing and boating.
The Fisheries Administration Section recognizes the absolutely critical importance of this program for state fisheries agencies, but also knows that the program is subject to periodic reauthorization by Congress and ongoing scrutiny from the users who pay the excise tax. This annual awards program helps identify and showcase outstanding fisheries projects from across the country and hopefully generates continued support for the Sport Fish Restoration Program. Three “Outstanding Project of the Year” awards are given each year, one in each of the following categories: Sport Fishery Development and Management, Research and Surveys, and Aquatic Education. The 2008 award winning projects are described below:
2007 Sport Fishery Development and Management Outstanding Sport Fish Restoration Project of the Year
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation—Evening Hole and Lost Creek Restoration Project
Applied fluvial geomorphology techniques were used to improve fish habitat, channel shape, stream flow, sediment transport and water temperature in Evening Hole, a 1,600-foot trout stream below Broken Bow Reservoir. In addition, a new 1,200-foot trout stream, called Lost Creek, was constructed nearby, along a remnant floodplain. Vegetation, grade control, and bank stabilization structures were installed to ensure stream stability, while riffles, runs, pools, woody cover, native gravel, and cobblestones were added to provide trout habitat. The project was made possible by donations from trout anglers and SFR funds. Other partners included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Oklahoma Department of Tourism.
Project contact: Jeff Boxrucker, (405) 521-4606, jboxrucker@odwc.state.ok.us
2007 Research and Surveys Outstanding Sport Fish Restoration Project of the Year
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources—Lake Survey Mobile Software and Hardware Project
A robust mobile Fisheries Lake Survey system was developed and implemented to capture, store, analyze, and share current and historical physical, chemical, and biological information regarding habitat, water quality and fish population characteristics. This new system provides data entry while in the field and allows immediate reporting, saving thousands of hours of staff time (valued at >$200,000 annually), ensuring quality data, and easier sharing with the public.
Project Contact: Rick Lorenzen, (651) 259-5216, Rick.Lorenzen@dnr.state.mn.us
2007 Aquatic Education Outstanding Sport Fish Restoration Project of the Year
Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife—Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
SFR Funds, along with a variety of both private and public partners, have allowed the Center to increase its public education offerings since the facility was constructed in 1996. Over the last six years, a fish hatchery tram was constructed and placed into service; a wetlands and a wetlands trail with interpretive wayside exhibits, pavilions, restrooms, and interactive interpretive stations were completed; and an outdoor amphitheater, a casting pond and pier; a conservation center, a classroom, a teaching lab, and a game warden museum were built.
Project contact: Allen Forshage, (903) 670-2224, Allen.Forshage@tpwd.state.tx.us
2007 Honorable Mention SFR Project of the Year
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas Chapter of Trout Unlimited—Renovation of Parker Bend Angler Access Facility
An angler access facility on a tailwater trout stream below Beaver Reservoir was renovated to protect the streambank from erosion, deepen the main channel, improve fish habitat, and enhance angler opportunities, including access for handicapped anglers. Two “J-Vanes,” each 200 feet long, were constructed using boulders that were capped with 160 feet of sidewalk. SFR funds, FEMA funds, a contribution from the Arkansas Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and a Lowe’s Store (that donated the boulders) made the project possible.
Project Contact: Larry Rider, (877) 967-7577 ext. 361, lrider@agfc.@state.ar.us
2007 Honorable Mention SFR Project of the Year
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources—Fishing: Get in the Habitat!
The MinnAqua Leader’s Guide for Angling and Aquatic Education is a 1,300-page curriculum for grades 3-5 that has chapters on aquatic habitats, Minnesota fish, water stewardship, fisheries management, fishing equipment and skills, and safety and the fishing trip. It includes 39 lessons and appendices that intend to lead students on a developmental continuum of learning from awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills development, to empowerment and action.
Project Contact: Michelle Kelly, (651) 582-8417, Michelle.Kelly@dnr.state.mn.us
Contact: Don Gabelhouse, Jr.
AFS-FAS President
(402) 471-5515
Don.Gabelhouse@ngpc.ne.gov
Proposed Rule: Financial Assistance: Wildlife Restoration, Sport Fish Restoration, Hunter Education and Safety
Mike P. recommends that we pay particular attention to the following sections: 80.20, 80.31, 80.34, 80.60, 80.84, 80.94 and 80.126.
Published in the June 10, 2010 Federal Register (Vol. 75, No. 111) is the Proposed Rule: Financial Assistance: Wildlife Restoration, Sport Fish Restoration, Hunter Education and Safety. The Proposed Rule, updates and revises the regulations at 50 CFR part 80. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program proposes revisions to reflect changes in law, regulation, policy, technology, and practice during the past 25 years. In addition, this proposed rule simplifies specific requirements of the establishing authorities of the Wildlife Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration programs and clarifies terms in those authorities as well as terms generally used in grant administration. Finally, this proposed rule organizes the regulations to follow the life cycle of a grant and rewords and reformats the regulations following Federal plain language policy and current rulemaking guidance.
The Wildlife Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration grant programs and the partnerships they foster are considered by many to be the most successful conservation effort in the United States’ rich history of fish and wildlife management. These two programs provide nearly $1 billion annually to States, Commonwealths, and territories from excise taxes paid by industry partners on equipment and gear manufactured for purchase by hunters, anglers, boaters, archers and recreational shooters. Additionally, boaters pay a tax on motorboat fuel. The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the WSFR Program have worked closely with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), State Directors of fish and wildlife agencies, the Joint Federal/State Task Force for Federal Assistance Policy, and others in developing these proposed regulations to address the numerous administrative processes associated with the grant programs, eligibility criteria and fishing and hunting license certification.
Please pass this information on to State and industry partners and interested others. We are also working with AFWA to distribute this information to State Directors and Industry representatives. Please encourage our partners and stakeholders to provide their comments so that they may be received or postmarked on or before 08/09/2010. Instructions on how and when external reviewers can submit their comments are at www.regulations.gov for Docket No: FWS–R9–WSR–2009–0088:
Comments from external sources, such as State agencies, other Federal agencies or the public, can be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480affa01 or mailed to the Division of Policy and Directives Management (PDM), which coordinates all public comments for the Service (faxes/emails are not accepted).
For internal Service comments, copies of the Federal Register Notice and the regulations are at DTS #045187. All Service comments on 50 CFR Part 80 from Programs or Regions, should be sent via DTS routing or directly to me. Do not use the Federal Register on-line form to submit internal Service comments.
Any Service staff that wish to comment as individuals, not representing the Service, should use the Federal Register guidance to submit comments.
Please contact me if you have any questions at 703–358–2156 or by email: joyce_johnson@fws.gov.