Image: virginia_trout

Because of budget restrictions, cuts are coming to some of Virginia’s wildlife management programs, but it’s too early to know which ones. Photo by goodluz.

Virginians could soon see an increase in hunting, fishing and boating license fees. The state’s wildlife management, policing, fish stocking and wildlife restoration programs, and outdoors outreach and education, are also under threat because of an unexpected budget shortfall affecting the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

According to wfxr.com, the VDWR’s annual budget is roughly $70 million.

“Like all people across Virginia and businesses within the state, we’re feeling the pinch of inflation and increased costs over time,” said VDWR Executive Director Ryan Brown. “The good news is our revenues are stable.”

To make matters tougher, VDWR receives no general-funds money from the state. State fishing and hunting licenses and boat registrations, as well as sales taxes on outdoors gear, fund the agency. Although a portion of those sales tax dollars are earmarked for VDWR, they don’t always make it to the agency.

“In the overall picture of state government, there are always more priorities needed to be funded than there are resources that are available,” Brown said. “With items such as what we call our House Bill 38 transfer dollars — that’s the outdoor equipment sales tax or motorboat sales taxes — they are not always able to be fully funded because the revenues are needed elsewhere for other priorities of the state.”

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Budget writers, such as lawmakers and the governor, have the option of spending that money on other things if they deem them more important or necessary. In fact, the agency has only received its full share of funding from those tax dollars a handful of times in the past 15 years.

Brown said cuts are coming to VDWR programs, but it’s too early to tell what those cuts will be.

“Certainly, things like the fish stocking that we perform, the number of conservation police officers in the field, our outreach [and] our outdoor education efforts may see some reductions,” he said. “So, I would predict over the next 12 months you will see some lessening of services while we work on trying to figure out a long-term resolution for the agency.”

Fish-stocking efforts for hybrid striped bass on lakes Anna and Claytor, F1 largemouth bass on various lakes including Smith Mountain Lake, and trout stocking statewide could experience budget cuts.

Although acquiring additional funding through increasing the price of hunting licenses, fishing licenses and boat registrations is possible, Brown said that’s low on the list of possible solutions.

“Increases to revenues through sales tax recoveries and through federal revenues that could come to this agency that currently aren’t being realized are much more attractive options,” he said.

Currently, lawmakers are considering budget amendments to reduce the shortfalls and bring the agency closer to a balanced budget sheet for the next year. However, the current state budget has not been passed.

Delegate Rob Bloxom of Virginia Beach said the amendments he proposed are a temporary fix and that a permanent solution needs to be found.

VDWR could receive more funding from the federal government. The feds currently provide money based on the number of hunting and fishing licenses issued. Because Virginia provides for many exemptions, those hunters and anglers are not getting counted. Brown said VDWR is exploring ways to get those exempted licensees recognized to qualify for additional federal funding.

Brown said he’s confident a permanent solution can be found within the next 12 months.