See letter from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service below.



As well as hunting license money, a good deal of dedicated funds originate from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937) that provides funding to state fish and wildlife agencies. This is funded by an 11% excise tax on sporting firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment (and 10% on handguns). These federal funds can only be deposited into a dedicated fund that can only be used for programs approved under the federal law. The Massachusetts fund is called the George L. Darey Inland Fisheries and Game Fund.

“Once again the state legislature is treating the Second Amendment with aggressive disdain,” said Jim Wallace Executive Director of GOAL. “This is yet another illegal action that will disqualify the Commonwealth from receiving millions of dollars in wildlife management funds, but it could result in bankrupting the entire Fish & Wildlife system here. Perhaps that is their goal.”

GOAL is urging all gun owners and hunters to immediately contact their state representative and tell them to remove the diversion of Inland Fisheries and Game Funds from the Marine Fisheries budget.

Script: “The diversion of Inland Fisheries and Game Funds to the Marine Fisheries budget in line item 2330-0100 is an illegal move that will result in Massachusetts losing millions of dollars in federal fish and wildlife funding and likely bankrupt professional wildlife management in the state.”

https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

House Budget

2330-0100 For the operation of the division of marine fisheries; provided, that the

division may expend funds for the Annisquam river marine research

laboratory, marine research programs, a commercial fisheries program, a

shellfish management program, including coastal area classification,

mapping and technical assistance, and a shellfish classification program;

provided further, that funds shall be expended on a recreational fisheries

program to be reimbursed by federal funds; provided further, that the

division shall continue to develop strategies to improve federal regulations

governing the commercial fishing industry and to promote sustainable

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Recommendations fisheries; and provided further, that not less than $575,000 shall be expended for a program of collaborative research by the division of marine fisheries through the Marine Fisheries Institute, in collaboration with the

School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of

Massachusetts at Dartmouth, that applies innovative technology to assess

the biomass of fish in the region managed by the New England Fishery

Management Council ............................................................................................... $9,323,957

George L. Darey Inland Fisheries and

Game Fund ........................................................... 83.06%

Marine Recreational Fisheries Development

Fund ...................................................................... 16.94%