Basic Information Everyone Should Know

Transcription

1 Basic Information Everyone Should Know The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife 2009

2 PROPOSED IFW BUDGET REDUCTIONS Without Fee Increase With Fee Increase Fiscal Year 2010 $2,405,612 $1,683,112 Fiscal Year 2011 $2,453,350 $ 831,975 PROPOSED LICENSE FEE INCREASE Fee Revenue Fiscal Year 2010 $2.50 $ 722,500 Fiscal Year 2011 $1.00 $1,621,375 IMPACT OF PROPOSED REDUCTIONS Without Fee Increase With Fee Increase 22 positions lost 7 positions lost 1 Hatchery Furthermore, the proposed cuts will have a direct impact on our ability to provide normal and expected levels of service throughout the state. Specifically, this will have a negative impact on our non-game and endangered species programs, healthy populations of wildlife and public safety. Under the current fee increase proposal, hunting and fishing licenses would go up $2.50 starting January 1, 2010 and an additional $1.00 on January 1, 2011.

3 TOTAL RESIDENT & NON RESIDENT FISHING LICENSE SALES Data provided by MDIFW

4 2009 FISHING LICENSE FEES Maine New Hampshire Vermont Florida New Jersey Pennsylvania Texas Wyoming Resident $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Non Resident $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ COST $ $90.00 $80.00 $70.00 $60.00 $50.00 $40.00 $30.00 $20.00 $10.00 $- Resident Non Resident Maine New Hampshire Vermont Florida New Jersey STATE Pennsylvania Texas Wyoming *Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

5 ESTIMATED NON RESIDENT FRESHWATER FISHING ACTIVITY IN 2006 STATE DAYS OF FISHING NEW HAMPSHIRE 884,000 COLORADO 845,000 MAINE 800,000 MONTANA 569,000 ALASKA 521,000 WYOMING 446,000 SOUTH DAKOTA 291,000 VERMONT 264,000 CONNECTICUT 175,000 MASSACHUSETTS 159,000 RHODE ISLAND 86,000 *2006 US Fish and Wildlife National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation

6 RESIDENT ANGLERS WHO FISH OUT OF STATE STATE PERCENT MAINE 1% ALASKA 2% MONTANA 4% WYOMING 9% COLORADO 19% *2006 US Fish and Wildlife National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation

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8 The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife A wicked good deal for Maine MDIF&W** Revenues from Licenses & Registrations $20.9 Million State General Fund (tax revenues) $3 Million Federal Match $8.4 Million Other Special Revenues $3 Million Total FY08 Budget $34.6 Million The following activities generate: Wildlife Watching * Hunting & Fishing* Snowmobile+ ATV s++ Watercraft** Whitewater Rafting** Photo by: Eva Paulhus Total Economic Impact $ 1.3 Billion $498 Million $300 Million $200 Million $153 Million $32 Million $2.4 Billion Tax Revenues from Participation in these Activities* $109 Million in Maine state and local tax revenue $95 Million in federal tax revenue Maine Jobs, Salaries and Retail Sales supported by these activities* 15,790 jobs $449 Million in salaries and wages $865 Million in retail sales We are Stewards of Maine s Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Protecting & Preserving our Natural Resources, Outdoor Heritage, Economic Future, Wild places and Fish and Wildlife for our children and theirs. *US Fish & Wildlife National Survey **MDIF&W +MSA ++ATV Study

9 The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is one of the smallest and one of a handful of Maine state revenue-generating agencies. 300 Employees 125 Game Wardens 50 Wildlife Biologists 26 Fishery Biologists 31 Fish Culturists MDIFW Annual Budget (FY08)** $34.6 Million Dollars $20.9 Million from license and registration fees $8.4 Million from matching federal funds $3 Million from other revenue accounts (license plates, moose lottery, chickadee check-off, etc.) $3.4 Million from the State General Fund (your Maine state taxes) 21st Century Challenges Balance sprawling development and intensified agriculture Convey the fact that people depend on the same environmental systems that sustain fish and wildlife Ensure a functional landscape that supports wildlife by working with private landowners Define wildlife population and habitat objectives in a manner understandable by the public Convey that MDIFW has been entrusted to ensure the future of our natural resources for our children and theirs Become facilitators of cooperative conservation - focusing, leading and encouraging all conservation efforts by individuals, agencies and organizations Do more with less: ever increasing contraints in funding and staffing Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Fact Sheet We are Stewards of Maine s Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Protecting & Preserving our Natural Resources, Outdoor Heritage, Economic Future, Wild places and fish and wildlife for our children and theirs

10 Importance of Wildlife Watching, Hunting and Fishing to Maine s Economy 800,000 people observe & photograph wildlife * 289,000 people purchased fishing licenses** 80,000 of these were Non-Residents 209,000 people bought hunting licenses** 36,000 of these were Non-Residents IF&W registers, regulates and provides public safety services to these vital industries. Impact of Recreation to Maine s Annual Economy Wildlife watching generates $1.3 Billion*** Hunting and Fishing reels in $498 Million* 101,000 snowmobiles generate $300 Million + 63,000 ATVs generate $200 Million ,000 registered watercraft generate $153 Million** 67,000 whitewater rafters generate $32 Million** Total Impact on Maine s Economy $2.4 Billion Annually Maine Jobs, Salaries and Retail Sales supported by these activities* 15,790 jobs $449 Million in salaries and wages $865 Million in retail sales Tax Revenues from Participation in these Activities* $109 Million in Maine state and local tax revnue $95 Million in federal tax revenue Public Information and Education Creates and maintains public and legislative understanding and support for fish and wildlife management Provides recreational safety courses Handles most media requests and generates press releases and reports. Publishes quarterly online magazines Information Center handles approximately 275 calls and hundreds of queries per day Manages Department and Guide merchandise program Video Production Conservation Education Programs** 95,000 visitors to Maine Wildlife Park 3,000 participants in conservation education programs 7,500 participants in Hooked on Fishing 150 participants in Becoming an Outdoors Woman 9,000 Recreational Safety program participants Warden Service 2nd largest state law enforcement agency in Maine Responds to18,000 complaints/calls for service Conducts more than 350 search & rescue missions costing more than $250,000 Inspected 130,000 sportsmen and recreational vehicles 8,000 violations of fish and wildlife laws 3 Aircraft in service Dive Team members/k-9/investigations Division Landowner Relations Program Bureau of Resource Management Wildlife Division Establishes and implements management plans for all wildlife species Provides extensive hunting opportunities Conducts 2,000 environmental reviews for development projects Owns and manages more than 100,000 acres of wildlife management areas and 40+ coastal islands Helps people deal with nuisance wildlife Fisheries Division Provides diverse angling opportunities Protects native fish species and habitats Conducts habitat and fisheries inventories Conducts surveys to monitor fishing pressure and quality Conducts environmental reviews for development proposals Hatcheries Division 8 fish hatcheries produce 1.5 million fish stocked in 700 waters Maintains a Fish Health Lab to protect Maine s fish from disease Environmental Review Regional biologists provide recommendations to state and federal regulatory agencies, in response to any activity that may affect wildlife species, habitats and natural communities. *2006 US Fish & Wildlife National Survey +MSA ** MDIFW ++ATV Study *** 2008 US Fish and Wildlife National Survey Addendum