Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

This dock located in Stockton, Calif., was partially paid for by a Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) in 2008. Similar grants are awarded by the U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service each year. (USFWS)

The Pacific Southwest Region, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR), administers grants to other entities, primarily State fish and wildlife agencies to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, their habitats, and the hunting, sport fishing and recreational boating opportunities they provide. The WSFR Program is located in the Pacific Southwest Regional office in Sacramento, California, and administers ten primary grant programs which total approximately $91 million in grants annually within California, Nevada and Klamath Basin area.

Grant programs administered by WSFR, and the requirements which accompany each, are highly diverse. The WSFR staff works with the potential grant recipients to ensure that they understand the requirements of the individual Acts and that these are met in the process of proposing, selecting and funding projects.The WSFR also maintains fiscal tracking systems to ensure funds are disbursed appropriately and expenditures are tracked. Performance reports, as well as audit reports, are reviewed to match accomplishments and costs with approved work, or to reconcile audit discrepancies. The WSFR is also responsible for ensuring compliance with a host of other Federal Acts, regulations, and requirements (regarding, for example, National Environmental Policy Act, endangered species, archeological and historical, non-discrimination, exotic organisms, floodplains and wetlands, etc.).

At the national level, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program works with states, insular areas and the District of Columbia to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, their habitats, and the hunting, sport fishing and recreational boating opportunities they provide. The Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program provides oversight and/or administrative support for the following grant programs:

~ Wildlife Restoration Grant Program
~ Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program
~ Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
~ Boating Infrastructure Grant Program
~ National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program
~ State Wildlife Grant Program
~ Landowner Incentive Grant Program
~ Multistate Grant Program
~ Tribal Wildlife Grant Program
~ Tribal Landowner Incentive Grant Program

The grant programs are administered through the Headquarters Office - Washington, D.C., eight Regional Offices. Preview or download the presentation (1,749KB powerpoint) and handouts of the grant programs funded through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Acts.

Mission: Working through partnerships to conserve and manage fish and wildlife and their habitats for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Vision: Healthy, diverse, and accessible fish and wildlife populations that offer recreation, economic activity,and other societal benefits, in addition to sustainable ecological functions. Guiding principle: Society benefits from conservation-based management of fish and wildlife and their habitats and opportunities to use and enjoy them.

Address:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Pacific Southwest Region
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
2800 Cottage Way, W-1729
Sacramento,CA 95825

Pacific Southwest Region WSFR Staff:

Sue Detwiler, Division Chief (916) 414-6509
Tracey Vriens, Grants Fiscal Officer (916) 414-6525 - Lead for audits, grants and budget.
Susan Boring, Grants Specialist (916) 414-6507 - Lead for Sport Fish Restoration Grants.
Justin Cutler, Grants Specialist (916) 414-6457 - Lead for Wildlife, Hunter/Aquatic Education Grants.
Becky Miller, Grants Specialist (916) 978-6185 - Lead for Non-Traditional Section 6 and Coastal Wetlands Grants.
Jill Wright, Grants Specialist (916) 978-6182 - Lead for State Wildlife Grants, Landowner Incentive Grants.
Bart Prose, Grants Specialist (916) 414-6558 - Lead for Clean Vessel Act Grants, Boating Infrastructure Grants and Boating Access Grants.

Grant Programs Annual Funding in Pacific Southwest Region (Fiscal Year 2008) (* denotes a competitive grant program; other programs are formula-funded)

Wildlife Restoration Act (P-R) - $24.3 Million
Sport Fish Restoration Act (Wallop-Breaux or D-J) - $25.1 Million
State Wildlife Grant Program - $5.1 Million
* Landowner Incentive Program - Not Funded
* National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program - $3.7 Million
* Clean Vessel Act - $2.2 Million
* Boating Infrastructure Program - $3.1 Million
*Tribal Wildlife Program $2 Million
*Tribal Landowner Incentive Program - Not Funded
*Section 6, Endangered Species Act $25.4 Million
--Traditional $2.3 Million
-- * Non-Traditional $23.1 Million

This dock located in Stockton, Calif., was partially paid for by a Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) in 2008. Similar grants are awarded by the U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service each year. (USFWS)