BROOKHAVEN — United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently published a list of Fiscal Year 2024 funding for wildlife and fisheries restoration thanks to the dollars spent by sportsmen. Mississippi will receive nearly $14.4 million for wildlife restoration and $4.2 million for fisheries restoration. 

Under the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, a federal merchant’s excise tax on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment helps raise the funds used for wildlife restoration. Mississippi will receive $14,373,361 according to the USFWS for projects to restore wildlife, public education programs, public shooting ranges and conserving public land. 

Similarly, the Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 placed a manufacturers excise tax on fishing equipment. Under the 1984 Wallop-Breaux amendment, some funding for fisheries restoration is sourced from gasoline excise taxes attributable to motorboats. 

USFWS reports Mississippi will receive $4,176,365 for fisheries restoration. Projects eligible for funding include fisheries restoration, maintaining public access, youth fishing programs and fish stocking. 

Additionally, Mississippi will receive $610,878 in a State Wildlife Grant. The funds under this grant go towards meeting the goals written in the State Wildlife Action Plan which must be updated every 10 years. Mississippi’s action plan will be updated in 2025, the 2015 plan is 704 pages long. 

USFWS additionally published data showing the number of hunting license holders for each state. Mississippi had 283,021 paid hunting license holders in 2023 and 325,350 paid fishing license holders.