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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 43
BY SENATOR LONG
COMMENDATIONS. Recognizes the seventy-fifth anniversary of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To recognize the seventy-fifth anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife2
and Sport Fish Restoration Program.3
WHEREAS, more than a century ago, hunters, anglers, and trappers were among the4
first conservationists who realized America's natural resources were in peril and could not5
sustain unregulated harvest and habitat destruction; and6
WHEREAS, hunters, anglers, and trappers took it upon themselves to support laws7
that ended excessive harvest of fish and wildlife, established game and fish agencies to8
protect fish, wildlife, and their habitat, and supported special fishing and hunting license fees9
to help fund the new agencies' efforts to provide for healthy natural resources for future10
generations; and11
WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes that the primary authority to12
protect and manage fish and resident wildlife, within their borders, resides in the state fish13
and wildlife agencies; and14
WHEREAS, upon realizing that license fees alone were insufficient to restore and15
sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations, hunters, anglers, and trappers supported excise16
taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery, fishing, and hunting equipment to raise additional17
funds to support restoration and enhancement efforts of state agencies; and18 SCR NO. 43
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WHEREAS, this user pay public benefit system became known as the Wildlife and1
Sport Fish Restoration Program that began seventy-five years ago with the passage of the2
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act in 1937, which is commonly called the Pittman-3
Robertson Act, and then was bolstered with the passage of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish4
Restoration Act in 1950, which is commonly called the Dingell-Johnson Act and which was5
further expanded with the Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Sport Fish Restoration Act in6
1984; and7
WHEREAS, since 1939, the combined contribution of the Wildlife and Sport Fish8
Restoration Program to state fish and wildlife agencies exceeds thirteen billion dollars, more9
than any other single conservation effort in American history, which constitutes, collectively,10
the American System of Conservation Funding; and11
WHEREAS, the manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, archery, fishing, hunting12
and boating equipment have collected excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery13
equipment, manufactured fishing tackle, electric trolling motors, marine electronics and14
motorboat fuel and distributed these funds to the states through the United States Fish and15
Wildlife Services; and16
WHEREAS, the manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, archery, fishing, hunting17
and boating equipment have supported the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and18
continue to exhibit a spirit of cooperation with the state fish and wildlife agencies; and19
WHEREAS, this cooperative partnership between industry, hunters, anglers, trappers,20
boaters, recreational shooters, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and state natural21
resource agencies has resulted in the most successful model of fish and wildlife management22
in the world, restoring fish and wildlife populations from coast to coast.23
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby24
recognize America's hunters, anglers, trappers, boaters, recreational shooters, industry, state25
fish and wildlife agencies, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for their leading26
role in restoring healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and other natural resources, both game27
and non-game, to the abundance we see and enjoy today through the Wildlife and Sport Fish28
Restoration Program, in this the seventy-fifth anniversary of America's greatest conservation29
story, supported by the American System of Conservation Funding.30 SCR NO. 43
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted1
to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,2
and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States Congress.3
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Broussard-Johnson.
DIGEST
Long SCR No. 43
Recognizes the 75
th
anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport
Fish Restoration Program.