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Overview

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program is a federal-state grant reimbursement program funded, primarily, by excise taxes established by law on hunting and fishing equipment and motorboat fuels. WSFR has a long history of working with the states to restore America’s fish and wildlife resources. WSFR specialists work with state fish and wildlife professionals on many different types of projects, “adding value” by offering experience, skills, and critical evaluation of each project. This partnership between the Fish and Wildlife Service, state fish and wildlife agencies, the hunting and fishing equipment industries, and hunters, anglers, and boaters has proven to be very successful over the years.

Mission

To strengthen the ability of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies to restore and manage fish and wildlife resources to meet effectively the consumptive and non-consumptive needs of the public for fish and wildlife resources.

National Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

Grant Programs

Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration manages 10 state grant programs. The oldest of these, enacted in 1937, is the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program followed in 1950.

Learn about the Wildlife Restoration Program.

Learn about the Sport Fish Restoration Program.

Organizational Chart

The division is made up of biologists, educators, accountants, grant management specialists, planners, and support staff. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program in Region5 is organized into 5 program sections: Fisheries, Wildlife, Lands and Development, Grants Management, and Program Management.

• The Fisheries, Wildlife, and Lands and Development sections review and monitor projects for eligibility according to program standards and compliance requirements.
• The Grants Management section is responsible for audit resolution and ensures that grants approved by those sections comply with federal administrative requirements and are processed for payment efficiently and effectively.

The Role of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration

• Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) staff provide program oversight with services that ultimately serve to maintain the integrity of the WSFR program.
• A key responsibility of the WSFR staff is to review state grant proposals to ensure that they meet the legal standards of substantiality in character and design and comply with federal environmental laws such as NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and the Historic Preservation Act.
• WSFR staff also provide technical assistance to states in developing grant or project proposals.
• On the fiscal side, WSFR staff process approved grants through the Accounting Payment Management systems and monitor the status of state apportionments and obligations.