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Fish and Game are Being Stretched Thin
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and Fish and Game Commission (Commission) hold great responsibility for California’s fish, wildlife, and plants and the habitats upon which they depend. The tasks of these two bodies include issuing fishing and hunting licenses, educating the public, protecting endangered and threatened species, managing commercial and recreational fisheries, and safeguarding the state’s natural heritage for the future. DFG also manages more than 850,000 acres of ecological reserves, wildlife management areas, hatcheries, and public access areas. Senate Bill 1535 (Kuehl) will take an important first step toward addressing many of the critical organizational, budgetary, and funding issues confronting DFG and the Commission.
Since 2001, DFG has experienced a loss of more than 40% of its general fund revenue. It has also taken a permanent loss of $1.6 million of Environmental License Plate Fund funds, and has received a smaller portion of federal funding.
Chronic under-funding of the Department of Fish and Game has resulted in:
- The loss of 25% of game wardens, leaving today’s force the size of that in the 1960s. Fewer wardens allows for more poaching and other illegal activities, and leaves many counties without any wardens.
- Annually, less than 20% of the submitted environmental impact (CEQA) documents are reviewed. This neglected process is critical for preventing harmful ecological impacts of proposed projects.
Since 2001, DFG has spent $17 million of the $24.6 million reserve in the Fish & Game Preservation Fund, which is supported by user fees such as fishing licenses. Over the long-term, we must secure broader funding for DFG’s conservation work that reflects its value to the general public and relieve the demands made on traditional sources of funding (e.g., hunting and fishing permit fees).
WHAT SB 1535 WOULD DO:
- Increase the environmental filing fees for the first time since they were passed in 1991, and close a loophole in collecting these fees.
- Allow the Commission to employ staff and require the Commission adopt a conflict of interest code similar that of other state commissions.
- Make DFG’s budget more transparent and update its cost-allocation plan.
A coalition of conservation, hunting, and fishing groups crafted SB 1535 as a first step towards fixing DFG.
Update
Victory: Governor Schwarzenegger has signed AB 1535!
