Sport Fish Restoration (15.605)
Program
15.605 Sport Fish Restoration
Federal Agency
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Authorization
Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, 64 Stat. 430, as amended 16 U.S.C. 777-777m.
Program Number
15.605
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To support activities designed to restore, conserve, manage, or enhance sport fish populations and the public use and benefits from these resources; and to support activities that provide boating access to public waters.
Types of Assistance
Formula Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Approvable activities include land acquisition, development (including boating access sites), research, operations and maintenance, sport fish population management and program coordination. Prohibited activities are law enforcement and public relations.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Participation limited to State fish and wildlife agencies. States must have passed laws for the conservation of fish that includes a prohibition against a diversion of license fees paid by anglers for purposes other than the administration of the State fish and wildlife agency. Also eligible are Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Beneficiary Eligibility
State fish and wildlife agencies.
Credentials/Documentation
Notification of desire to participate must be made annually to the Secretary. Notification can be either by letter stating the desire to participate or by having an approved Application for Federal Assistance which contains plans for the use of the funds during the period of apportionment. The State fish and wildlife director must also furnish annually a certification of the number of paid fishing license holders.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
The standard application forms furnished by the Federal agency and required by 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, The "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments," applies to this program. The Service requires environmental assessments to determine environmental impacts. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process required by the State when applying for assistance, if the State has selected this program for review.
Application Procedure
A grantee may document initial programs by submission of a satisfactory fisheries conservation plan or Application for Federal Assistance. When a plan is accepted, we do not require project documentation and issue an annual agreement based on the plan. Grantee has the option of submitting a project application. The Service furnishes all forms. Documentation is covered in detail in the "Fish and Wildlife Service Manual."
Award Procedure
The Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service approves or disapproves proposed projects. Regional offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee by returning a completed Grant Agreement.
Deadlines
None.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
Any differences of opinion over the eligibility of proposed activities or differences arising over the conduct of work may be appealed to the Director. Final determination rests with the Secretary of the Interior.
Renewals
We renew projects on an annual basis through approval of a grant agreement.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Forty percent on the basis of land and water area of the State and 60 percent on the basis of paid fishing license holders. No State may receive more than 5 percent or less than 1 percent of the total apportioned. Puerto Rico is apportioned up to 1 percent; Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia are each apportioned up to one-third of 1 percent. States are reimbursed up to 75 percent of the total project cost. Statistical factors used for fund allocation are (1) States percentage share of land and water area and statute miles of coastline including coastal and Great Lakes Waters from the 2000 Census of Population, Census; Coastline of the U.S., NOAA; (2) States percentage share of number of paid fishing license holders from the source annually certified by each State's fish and wildlife agency. Statistical factors used for eligibility do not apply for this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Apportioned funds are available for obligation for a period of 2 years. States return any unobligated balances after the period of availability to the Service.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
The Service requires a Performance Report and Financial Status Report for each annual segment within 90 days after the anniversary date and/or end of the segment.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Cost records must be maintained separately for each grant. Grantees must retain records, accounts, and supporting documents for 3 years after submission of final Financial Status Report.
Program Accomplishments
The Service awarded grants to the States and Territories for sport fish and management projects, including the acquisition of boating access sites, improvements in fresh water and salt water habitats, and the maintenance of wetland and fresh water and salt water sites and infrastructure for recreational fishing activity.
Financial Information
Account Identification
14-8151-0-7-303.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 02 $240,852,863; FY 03 est $290,467,000; and FY 04 est $264,238,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$900,000 to $13,600,000; $4,800,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
50 CFR 80; Fish and Wildlife Service Manual (limited number available at no cost), also available for download from http://training.fws.gov/fedaid/.
Related Programs
11.405, Anadromous Fish Conservation Act Program; 11.407, Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986; 15.608, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance; 15.611, Wildlife Restoration; 15.618, Administrative Grants for Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses.
Headquarters Office
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Aid, ATTN: Sport Fish Restoration Program Coordinator, Mail Stop MBSP-4020, Arlington, VA 22203. Contact: Chief, Division of Federal Aid. Telephone: (703) 358-2156.
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Fish habitat improvement, research on fishery problems, surveys and inventories of fish populations and habitats, provision for public use of fishery resources, lake and stream rehabilitation, and development of boating access sites.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Grants must be submitted by the State agency having management responsibility for the State's fishery resources. The State agency selects those grants that are submitted for funding under the program. Grants are approved if they meet criteria contained in the regulation and policy.
