gered species. But these nonendangered species represent a big op- 

 portunity for us to complete the circle. 



I am speaking on behalf of the International Association of Fish 

 and Wildlife Agencies, and I have several directors here from other 

 states also in the audience; Jerry Presley, President of Inter- 

 national, from Missouri; Bob Bachman from the Maryland Depart- 

 ment of Natural Resources; Josh Zant, also from the same organi- 

 zation; Andy Manus and Lloyd Alexander from the State of Dela- 

 ware; David Waller from Georgia; Ira Palmer from the DC Fish- 

 eries organization; and Cal DeBrock from the Pennsylvania Game 

 Commission. 



"Teaming with Wildlife" is the thing we want to talk about, and 

 this is a funding proposal that would create a national trust fund 

 for State level fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, and con- 

 servation education. 



In New Jersey, our project, such as — we just received a donation 

 of a place called the Sedge House, which is in the middle of Bar- 

 negat Bay. And we are going to provide a conservation education 

 program there. In places like that, this money could be spent to 

 teach a wide array of natural resource concepts and understanding 

 about the real world — in many states, not just our own. 



We have a broad coalition of people supporting this. We have 

 nearly 1,000 organizations, from the Alaska Tourism Council to the 

 Zion Lutheran Church. We have Pineland Canoes in our own State 

 listed and American Agco and Bass Pro Shops who are here today. 

 We have submitted for the record, in addition, eight letters from 

 governors that also support the program. We have a ninth governor 

 that has recently submitted a letter. 



This funding proposal is modeled after the successful program 

 which was spoken about earlier, and I don't think you can go with- 

 out — I mean, it is an obvious thing that this has been very success- 

 ful. We have provided fisheries management under the Dingell- 

 Johnson and Wallop-Breaux funds. We have provided hunting and 

 fishing opportunities, and we have brought many species back. 

 Things like turkey and antelope, ospreys and elk are certainly ex- 

 amples of species throughout the country that we have worked, 

 under the Pittman-Robinson Act, and have been successful with. 



This proposal has a sliding scale of funding and a sliding scale 

 of taxing. We are talking about a quarter of a percent on some 

 things and five percent on others. It is the first of sale price on out- 

 door-related products such as binoculars, field guides, tents, camp- 

 ing gear. And we have arrived at the $350 million level, not just 

 as a matter of whim, but as related to many surveys and related 

 to inquiries of the states and response from the states. 



The moneys collected from "Teaming with Wildlife," just like 

 Wallop-Breaux, Dingell-Johnson, Pittman-Robertson, would go into 

 the Treasury and return to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 using an allocation formula which involves two-thirds people and 

 one-third land. And it is a three-to-one match. In other words, the 

 states would have to come up with the money. 



In New Jersey, we have an income tax checkoff. We also sell li- 

 cense plates to fund our nongame and endangered species program, 

 and we use corporate donations. But those are all iffy kinds of 



