Legislation Introduced to Reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund

Bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (SFRBTF) was introduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The SFRBTF funds state-based programs for sportfish conservation and habitat restoration, infrastructure for boating access and education for anglers and boaters.

The Sport Fish Restoration and Recreational Boating Safety Act of 2019 was introduced by U.S. Reps. Joe Cunningham (D-SC) and Garret Graves (R-LA). This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (SFRBTF) through 2024 and make administrative improvements to improve the efficiency of the program.

The SFRBTF is funded through multiple sources of revenue including the federal excise tax on recreational fishing equipment, the boat fuel tax, and import duties. Each year about $650 million is provided from the SFRBTF to state wildlife agencies for boating infrastructure, fisheries management and restoration projects and other purposes.