2025 -- H 6083
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LC002428
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
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 O F 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 1
conservationists who realized America’s natural resources were in peril and could not sustain 2
unregulated harvest and habitat destruction; and 3
WHEREAS, Sportsmen and women took it upon themselves to support laws that stopped 4
excessive harvesting of fish and wildlife, established state agencies to protect fish, wildlife, and 5
their habitat, and supported special fishing and hunting license fees to help fund the new 6
agencies’ efforts to provide healthy natural resources for future generations; and 7
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island House of Representatives then and now recognize that the 8
primary authority to protect and manage fish within their state waters resides in the state 9
agencies; and 10
WHEREAS, Upon realizing that license fees alone were insufficient to restore and 11
sustain healthy fish populations, anglers supported excise taxes on fishing equipment to raise 12
additional funds to support restoration and enhancement efforts of the state agencies; and 13
WHEREAS, The Sport Fish Restoration Program, which began 75 years ago with the 14
passage of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1950 (further expanded with the 15
Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1984) is a vital part of 16
conservation funding in the United States; and 17
WHEREAS, A manufacturers excise tax on fishing equipment, along with an excise tax 18
on motorboat and small engine fuels, is mostly distributed back to the states through the U. S. 19
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Fish and Wildlife Service for fisheries conservation, management, and angler and boater access; 1
and 2
WHEREAS, This cooperative partnership between the sportfishing industry, anglers, 3
boaters, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state natural resource agencies has resulted in the 4
most successful model of fisheries management in the world, restoring and enhancing populations 5
across the United States and its territories; and 6
WHEREAS, Since 1939, the combined contribution of the Wildlife and Sport Fish 7
Restoration Programs and license fees to state fish and wildlife agencies exceeds $78 Billion- 8
more than any other single conservation effort in American history-which constitute, collectively, 9
the American System of Conservation Funding; now, therefore be it 10
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 11
recognizes America’s anglers, boaters, the sportfishing industry, state fish and wildlife agencies, 12
and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their leading role in restoring healthy populations of 13
fish and aquatic resources, both game and non-game, to the abundance we see today with the help 14
of the Sport Fish Restoration Program, in this the 75th anniversary year of the program’s 15
establishment as part of the American System of Conservation Funding; and be it further 16
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to 17
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, 18
Daniel J. McKee, to Mr. Terrence Gray, Director of the Rhode Island Department of 19
Environmental Management, and to the members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation. 20
This House also commends and appreciates the foresight and contributions from anglers, the 21
sportfishing industry, state fish and wildlife agencies, and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service on 22
behalf of our nation’s fisheries and aquatic resources. 23
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