Utah will receive $19.6 million in an annual payout of taxes from the federal government to be used for fish and wildlife conservation projects.The allocated money is part of $1.1 billion in taxes collected on sporting and boating equipment each year.
Mark Hadley from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says many Utahns don’t realize hunters and anglers pay for much of the wildlife conservation efforts in the state.
“Hunting and fishing here in the state of Utah, they’re popular activities and they generate a lot of funding that is taken and put back into hunting and fishing related activities here in Utah,” Hadley said.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced the allocation of the money on Tuesday. Hadley says $5.8 million will be put toward funding for fish hatcheries, fish biologists and community fishing ponds. The other $13.8 million will go to hunting and shooting related programs, wildlife transport and management areas.