Bill > SR0057

This resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Sport Fish Restoration Program, a landmark conservation initiative that began in 1950 and has played a crucial role in protecting and managing fish populations in the United States. The resolution highlights how hunters and anglers were early conservationists who recognized the need to protect natural resources from unregulated harvesting and habitat destruction. It explains that the program is funded through excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuels, which are distributed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to state agencies for fisheries conservation, management, and improving angler and boater access. The resolution emphasizes that since 1939, the combined contributions from the Sport Fish Restoration Program and fishing license fees have exceeded $78 billion, making it the most significant conservation effort in American history. Furthermore, it recognizes the collaborative partnership between the sportfishing industry, anglers, boaters, federal agencies, and state wildlife agencies in creating what is considered the most successful fisheries management model worldwide. The resolution ultimately celebrates the program's achievements in restoring and enhancing fish populations across the United States and its territories.

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SR-0057