DOGE cancels RBFF funding
The Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has canceled funding to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), made effective by the Department of the Interior on June 10.
After grant funding was frozen earlier this year, RBFF put eight of its 16 employees on furlough on June 6, according to an Outdoor Life article.
“Alarmingly, in just the past few months since RBFF’s funding has been terminated, fishing license sales are down 8.6 percent across 16 states, representing the loss of over $590 million in angler spending and 5,600 jobs,” RBFF told Outdoor Life. “These figures signal that the industry and the economic activity it drives could be at severe risk.”
Anglers and boaters have funded the organization through a unique ‘user-pay, public-benefits’ system called the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. The canceled fund is directly supported by the sport fishing industry, along with anglers and boaters themselves through fishing license sales and excise taxes on fishing tackle and motorboat fuel.
Outdoor Life reported that RBFF hopes to reapply for the same grant with a refined proposal tailored to meet DOGE’s concerns.
According to RBFF, the organization has helped the $230.5 billion fishing industry, which supports 1.1 million American jobs across all 50 states and generates $2 billion annually for fisheries conservation, habitat restoration and angler and boater access efforts in the U.S.
RBFF has advocated for the recreational boating and fishing industries for over 25 years. RBFF developed the Take Me Fishing and Vamos A Pescar campaigns to create awareness around boating, fishing and conservation, and to educate people about the benefits of participation.
