Press Releases

The membership of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (Association) elected Curt Melcher, Director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, as its new president during its 112th Annual Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Association) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration (Administration) for establishing the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (Council). On Friday, September 23, the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the membership of the newly-recharted Council, which will serve as a Federal Advisory Committee to the Administration advancing the needs of the sportsmen and women that form the foundation for conservation and restoration of fish and wildlife species and flourishing habitats.

A new survey conducted by Responsive Management finds that 70 percent of Americans support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, pending federal legislation that would allocate an additional $1.4 billion in annual funding to state agencies and tribal land managers for wildlife conservation.

Across the country, State Fish and Wildlife agencies stand on the front lines of conservation, and effectively use Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration funds as an indispensable part of their budgets to conserve wildlife and fisheries, restore habitat, provide shooting ranges, and connect people with nature. These funds, generated through a 10-11 percent federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition through the Pittman-Robertson Act, have generated $15 billion for conservation since the law was enacted in 1937. In 2022 alone, State Fish and Wildlife Agencies received a record $1.1 billion in funding through the Pittman-Robertson Act to support state and local outdoor recreational opportunities, and wildlife and habitat conservation efforts.

Today, the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies was excited to witness a passing vote on the House floor for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 2773). The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is the single most impactful wildlife conservation bill in a generation, benefiting our nature, outdoor recreation, our overall health, clean air and water and our economy. The final vote was 231 to 190 including Republicans and Democrats, highlighting the bipartisan support of this historic piece of legislation that would help expedite the recovery of thousands of at-risk species through proactive, collaborative conservation.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies applauds the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for awarding $7.6 million in grants to state and territory fish and wildlife agencies through their Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program. These grants will be used for the benefit of fish, wildlife and their habitats, especially species of greatest conservation need identified in State Wildlife Action Plans.

The Association was excited by last week’s announcement of a $1 billion America the Beautiful Challenge from the Biden-Harris Administration. This grant program will provide support for locally led ecosystem restoration projects that invest in watershed restoration, resilience, equitable access, workforce development, corridors and connectivity, and collaborative conservation, consistent with the America the Beautiful Initiative.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies proudly shares the news that Brittany Wray, Director for the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, is recognized as this year’s Project WILD Outstanding Coordinator of the Year. Each year the Association honors one Project WILD coordinator with this award at the annual Project WILD Coordinators’ Conference.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies strongly supports introduction of the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act, which will authorize historic funding to combat Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Today, Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and John Hoeven (R-ND), along with 7 additional bipartisan cosponsors, introduced companion legislation to the House-passed version of the bill (HR 5608). If enacted, the bill would authorize up to $70 million annually to fund vital research into CWD and support management actions carried out by state and tribal wildlife agencies and their partners.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is soliciting Initial Proposals for the 2023 Multistate Conservation Grant Program which funds projects that address regional or national level priorities of state fish and wildlife agencies. The deadline for submitting the Initial Proposals for 2023 cycle is May 18, 2022.