U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, announced the disbursement of Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund grants to support recreational boating, fishing and wildlife restoration in Wisconsin. The grants total over $1.1 billion across the United States. Wisconsin received a check for $34,966,603 that will be used to support state fish and wildlife agencies for fisheries research, habitat improvement, aquatic education, and fishing and boating access facilities among other wildlife restoration.

The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, also known as Dingell-Johnson grants, are funded through fishing licenses and manufacturers’ excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, import duties on fishing tackle, yachts and pleasure craft, and a portion of the gasoline fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats. The grants are distributed to states on a yearly basis and must be used by the state’s fish and game department. The grants require a match of 25 percent non-federal sources and can be used for management of wildlife/habitat and many other conservation and recreation-related projects. Other grant announcements were made in Florida, Colorado and Ohio.