The Arizona Game and Fish department is set to receive nearly $26 million in federal dollars. The money will go towards funding conservation projects like relocating wildlife and restoring aquatic habitats. Bill Andres is with game and fish. He says the money is critical to the agency’s work.
"Arizona Game and Fish department doesn’t receive any Arizona general fund tax dollars and the revenues from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses are earmarked for other purposes, so the money that we receive from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson acts really provides the backbone for what we can do for wildlife in the state," he said.
The money comes from excise taxes imposed on some hunting and fishing and shooting equipment, as well as fuel taxes. Some of the conservation projects that will be adressed include, "translocating wildlife, wildlife population surveys, species research, hunter education, acquisition of wildlife habitat, and development of shooting ranges," explained Andres.
Andres says additional funds will go to fish research, restoring aquatic habitats and constructing boat ramps. Arizona was one of four states in the southwest to receive a portion of the more than $1 billion in revenues.
