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Pueblo of Laguna Testimony 



House Sub-committee on Native American Affairs 



Re: Indian Fish and Wildlife Management/ Enhancement 



March 1, 1993 



As you may also be aware, the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport 

 Fish Restoration Programs, more commonly known as the Pittman- 

 Robertson/Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Acts (Acts) , provide 

 federal funds derived through various excise taxes on sport 

 fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel, to the states 

 and territories of the United States. These are apportioned 

 annually through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based on 

 formulae that include land and surface water acreage, number of 

 permits sold and population. The territories, as we understand, 

 receive a set percentage each year. 



In 1992, records indicate that the State of New Mexico Department 

 of Game and Fish received $2,802,800 for Wildlife Restoration, 

 $279,000 for Hunter Education, and $3,636,284 for Sport Fish 

 Restoration. This amounts to a grand total of $6,764,665 

 apportioned under these Acts to the New Mexico Department of Game 

 and Fish. In 1992, a total of $353,400,000 was apportioned 

 nation-wide and to the territories for fishery and wildlife 

 enhancement. In the meantime, our tribe had to use its own 

 financial resources to manage its wildlife resources, including 

 species that are both migratory and resident. 



We, as well as other tribes statewide, are not eligible for any 

 of this funding because the language of the Acts limit 

 participation to states and territories only. We are of the 

 opinion that this is discriminatory and unequitable since our 

 tribal members pay this same excise tax when they purchase 

 taxable sporting equipment. To further illustrate this inequity, 

 the territory of Guam, whose land base is 135,680 acres, received 

 $927,000 in 1992. In comparison, our land base totals 528,000 

 acres (five times greater than Guam) and we did not receive one 

 cent of these federal aid dollars. Because of our decreasing 

 tribal revenues we could only allocate tribal dollars in the 

 amount $85,000 in the same year. 



Mr. Chairman and members of the Sub-Committee, I am sure you will 

 agree that we have done a commendable job despite our limited 

 financial resources. It is our opinion that it would be in our 

 best interest and in line with "true tribal self-government" if 

 we were able to establish our own tribal in-house capabilities to 

 manage our fishery and wildlife resources. By establish our own 

 tribal staff, only then can we begin to manage our resources from 

 a "true tribal perspective." It is our estimation that it would 

 require funding in the amount of $344,000 to begin addressing 

 these needs. We certainly do hope that you will be able to 

 assist us in this regard and would be happy to provide you with 

 the details of this funding requirement. 



