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California Trout Rescues Fishing License Funds From Schwarzenegger's Raid

by Dan Bacher

July 2, 2008. California Trout, a statewide fishery conservation organization, recently defeated an underhanded attempt by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to raid fishing license funds.

On May 30, California Trout issued a statement release calling for a freeze on California fishing license fees in the face of a Schwarzenegger administration proposal to transfer $4 million from the Hatchery and Inland Fisheries Fund (HIFF) to the state's General Fund. Fortunately, the State Legislature’s Budget Conference Committee rejected the transfer on June 13, in large part because the administration officially withdrew the proposal.

“This is an important victory for fishing enthusiasts and conservation advocates across California,” said Brian Stranko, CEO of California Trout. “Trying to raid funds that support state fish hatchery operations and protection of wild trout stocks was a bad idea from the start. We’re pleased that these funds remain secure.”

As consequence of June 13’s action by the Committee, California Trout dropped its call for a freeze on fishing license fees. The conservation group adopted its call after The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources approved the Schwarzenegger Administration fund transfer proposal.

“The HIFF is funded exclusively through license fees paid by anglers who fish in California,” explained Stranko. “If included in the final version of the 2008 Budget Bill, the loan would not be repaid until 2013.”

Although CalTrout opposed the raid on HIFF, the budget subcommittee approved the loan but made it contingent on a freeze on fishing license fees.

"It is unfair to the two million anglers who annually buy fishing licenses in this state to continue to see their fees raised year after year by the Department of Fish and Game when it is simultaneously cutting back fish hatchery operations, wild trout protection, and programs for recovery of endangered species like salmon," said Stranko. "We believe it is inappropriate to divert these revenues to address chronic problems in the state's General Fund if DFG is allowed to continue increasing the cost of a sport fishing license."

The Hatchery and Inland Fisheries Fund was created in 2005 through Assembly Bill 7 in order to ensure that at least some of the $60 million collected annually through fishing licenses in California goes to improve fishing opportunities. The law specifies that at least 30% of the monies collected through fishing licenses be dedicated to upgrading hatcheries and funding the state's wild trout program.

I commend California Trout for raising the level of public outrage over this proposal by Schwarzenegger. At a time when we are faced with devastating fishing closures, including the salmon closure on the ocean and draconian no fishing zones funded by a private organization, the Resource Legacy Fund, Schwarzenegger attempted a despicable raid on OUR money.