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THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY 



5410 Grosvenor Lane • Bethesda, MD 20814-2197 

 Tel: (301) 897-9770 • Fax: (301) 530-2471 

 E-mail: tws@wildlife.org 



Testimony of THOMAS M. FRANKLIN, WILDLIFE POLICY DIRECTOR, THE 

 WILDLIFE SOCIETY, concerning the FISH AND WILDLIFE DIVERSITY FUNDING 

 NEEDS submitted to the FISHERIES, WILDLIFE AND OCEANS SUBCOMMITTEE OF 

 THE HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE - 6 June 1996 



The Wildlife Society is pleased to offer comments on Teaming With Wildlife (the Fish and 

 Wildlife Diversity Funding Initiative) on behalf of professional wildlife biologists and managers. 

 Teaming With Wildlife likely is the most important fish and wildlife conservation initiative 

 proposed in the last half century. A creative way to invest in the futtire of natural resources 

 during a time of reduced funding, Teaming With Wildlife is a national trust fund for state-level 

 fish and wildlife conservation, recreation and education. The program complements existing 

 programs that benefit primarily game and endangered species. Teaming With Wildlife will 

 promote species and habitat conservation, cultivate a responsible stewardship ethic through 

 enhanced environmental education, provide additional recreational opportunities for Americans 

 to enjoy wildlife and nature, enhance the quality, and stimulate local and national economies. 



Need For Funding 



Today's state fish and wildlife agencies are charged with a difficult mission of conserving all 

 resident fish and wildlife resources for the benefit of current and fiiture generations. In the past, 

 Congress recognized the difficulty of this challenge and responded by passing various laws to 

 assist the states in meeting their mandates. The Pittman-Robertson, Dingell-Johnson and 

 Wallop-Breaux fish and wildlife restoration acts established dedicated sources of funding for 

 management activities of state wildlife and fish agencies. Wildlife and sportfish restoration 

 programs are a tremendous boon for wildlife conservation, recreation, and industry nationwide. 

 Restoration of the white-tailed deer and the wild turkey are two important examples of how 

 dedicated ftinding can bring species back from severely depleted populations. The source of 

 funding, a user fee tax on hunting and fishing equipment, has focused programs on game 

 management in response to sportsmen involvement and support. 



Some states have sought funding to broaden support for nongame species through income tax 

 checkoff programs or the sale of license plates, for example, but these sources have not generated 

 enough funding to sustain viable nongame programs. Thus, the 1800+ species not pursued as 

 game have not received adequate attention. As a result of the lack of funding, nongame 

 populations often decline, sometimes leading to endangerment or listing under the Endangered 

 Species Act. Research shows that many nongame species such as some forest and grassland 

 migratory songbirds, frogs and toads, and certain fish species are declining rapidly. However, 

 fish and wildlife agencies wish to take a more proactive approach to prevent endangered species 

 problems and to more effectively manage all wildlife resources. 



Excellence m Wildlife Stewardship Through Science and Education 



