Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Progam - Competitive and National Programs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR) administers several programs in addition to Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration.  These include the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG), the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program (CVA), the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (NCWCG), the Multistate Conservation Grant Program (MSCGP), and the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (Survey). 

BIG, CVA, and NCWCG are competitive programs that provide matching grants to the States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealths and territories of the United States.  BIG awards about $12 million annually for transient nontrailerable recreational boating facilities.  CVA awards about $12 million annually for recreational pumpout facilities, floating restrooms, and program education.  NCWCG awards about $17 million annually for the conservation, restoration, and management of coastal wetland ecosystems. 

MSCGP awards up to $6 million annually for priority projects of the State fish and wildlife agencies. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Service cooperatively administer MSCGP.    

The Survey has been conducted about every five years since 1955. It provides the only comprehensive statistical data available on participation and expenditures for hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching in all 50 States.