Resolution Recognizing Efforts to Restore Fish and Wildlife Populations around the State Passes the House

(Juneau) – The Alaska House of Representatives yesterday unanimously passed a resolution by Representative Mark Neuman celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, which was created with the passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937.

Neuman said House Concurrent Resolution 25, on the 75th anniversary of the nation’s greatest conservation story, recognizes the leading roles of all those involved in restoring healthy populations of fish, wildlife and other natural resources to the abundance we enjoy today.

“It’s sometimes overlooked that hunters and anglers were our earliest conservationists. They saw the rapid decline of many species due to unregulated market-hunting and habitat loss in as early as the late 1800’s,” Neuman, R-Su-Valley, said. “This resolution was created to recognize those sportsmen, industries and state and federal agencies that have acted to preserve our heritage.”

The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 established funding for restoration of wildlife and the acquisition, development and management of habitats. It was amended in 1970 to provide funding for hunter training programs and the development, operation and maintenance of public shooting ranges.

Acts like the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and the 1950 Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act have helped establish our current “user-pay, user-benefit” system. Since 1939, program contributions have exceeded $13 billion dollars.

HCR 25 now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration.