Ohio receives $12 million for fish and wildlife conservation efforts

COLUMBUS – Ohio fish and wildlife programs will receive more than $12 million from the federal government as part of the Buckeye State’s share of $530 million in excise taxes paid by U.S. recreational shooters, hunters, anglers and boaters.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife will use the money for conservation activities such as fish and wildlife monitoring, habitat improvement, acquisition of land for habitat conservation and species protection, research, and education.
The federal dollars also will support hunter safety, aquatic education, and fish and wildlife-related recreation projects.
Sportsmen’s taxes. The money comes from the federal Wildlife Restoration Program ($5.3 million) and Sport Fish Restoration Program ($6.9 million).
While the federal funds pay for a majority of each project, the state contributes 25 percent of the total cost.
The federal wildlife restoration dollars are from a tax on sporting arms, ammunition, archery equipment, and handguns. The sport fish restoration dollars are from an excise tax on sport fishing equipment, trolling motors, pleasure boats, motorboat and small engine fuels, and sonar fish finders.
A formula is used by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to allocate these federal funds.