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Summary: Healthy fisheries mean healthy communities. Unfortunately, fish and aquatic species are those most at risk for extinction. Proactive efforts to restore fish and fish habitat can contribute towards recovery of species listed pursuant to the Endangered Species Act and avoid listing for others. Such activities also provide new and expanded economic opportunities for producers and their families. Therefore, Trout Unlimited respectfully requests that Congress create a new fisheries program in the 2007 farm bill and make much needed fish friendly tweaks to some existing programs.
Situation: The Farm Bill provides $4 billion annually for restoration projects and initiatives that help farmers, ranchers, and private landowners address environmental challenges. It is the single biggest pot of money for conservation on private lands – no other federal program even comes close. Nonetheless, despite its tremendous potential, the Farm Bill has not traditionally been a significant source of funding for fishery restoration projects. Trout Unlimited has determined, based on an analysis of available Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) data, that funding directly benefiting fisheries and stream habitat represents less than 4.5 percent of the allocations made from the Farm Bill conservation programs. Click here to read the report (PDF file).
Solution: Trout Unlimited recommends making some fish friendly tweaks to existing programs as well as creating a new fisheries program, similar to the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), and funded at $60 million annually, to create a much needed focus on important fish habitat and watershed restoration projects.
Action: Contact your congressperson today! Click here to use TU's helpful contact form.