U.S. Secretary of Interior Announces Funding for Boating and Fishing Programs

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced a new agreement and funding to support recreational boating and fishing. To increase and improve boating infrastructure and tourism, $14 million in federal funding under the Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund is available for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program. In addition, a five-year, $12 million per year cooperative agreement was signed to allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to work together to increase participation in boating and fishing and awareness of natural resource stewardship.

Funding for the BIG program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund that gets its monies from excise and other taxes on certain fishing equipment and boating fuel. Grants support dedicated boat tie-up facilities and associated amenities for transient vessels or those more than 26 feet in length. Funds can be used for restrooms, bulkheads, day docks, dinghy docks, transient slips, mooring buoys, floating docks and fixed piers, dockside water supplies, marine fueling stations, and navigational aids, such as channel markers.

Nearly $10 million will be awarded competitively for 10 projects in seven states under the BIG Tier II subprogram. USFWS will also release $4 million to fund 33 projects in 23 states, commonwealths and territories under the BIG Tier I subprogram. A full list of projects and funding can be found here.