Fishing License Pays for Conservation
In Colorado, April 1 is the day to get a new fishing license for about $55. At a cost less than a quarter of a guided trip, we are granted unlimited access to so much. Colorado requires a license for anyone 16 years or older to do any fishing on public water. This relatively small cost not only makes it legal for you to fish on any public water in the state but provides access to many state parks and pays the bill if something happens in the back country and you have to rely on an evacuation by search and rescue, which can cost more than $10,000 without the fishing license.
Anglers, hunters, and people who enjoy being outside in general rely on state fish and wildlife agencies like Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) more than many know. From wildlife management (including fish hatcheries and stocking), access maintenance, safety/enforcement, and education, CPW plays a critical role. CPW directly manages the majority of the 35 species of fish we target in the more than 6,000 miles of streams and rivers in the state, along with all the 66 million acres of public land we can access. This massive responsibility comes with a huge and ever-increasing financial burden—a bill that is primarily footed by hunters and anglers.
The money for our licenses amounts to about 55% of the CPW’s annual funding and is even more important because it plays a big part (along with land area) in the amount of money our state is granted from the federal government from the excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment. These taxes are collected at a manufacturer level on guns, ammo, fishing and archery equipment, and marine gas and have provided billions in funding (the vast majority of all funding ever collected) to maintaining the health and populations of all the species of wildlife we hold so dear in the United States as hunters, anglers, and those who would never dream of doing either.
Take a look at this article from the U.S. Department of the Interior (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/sportsmen-and-sportswomen-generate-nearly-1-billion-conservation-funding) about excise tax allocation and this from the CPW (https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Funding.aspx) about where their funding comes from, and remember that The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, though imperfect, has proven to be the universal standard when it comes to wildlife restoration, health, and management, and it is made possible through the actions of responsible hunters and anglers like us.
Link to the article: Sportsmen and Sportswomen Generate Nearly $1 Billion in Conservation Funding
Link to the article: How is Colorado Parks and Wildlife Funded?
