According to a report from Outdoor Life, this month the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) canceled funding to the nonprofit organization that offers learn-to-fish programs all across America. As a result, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) has been forced to pause programs like Take Me Fishing and events with state fish and game agencies.
Grant funding for many conservation-based organizations was frozen earlier this year, and sources say RBFF and other fishing industry stakeholders struggled to receive clarity on the funding. As a result, RBFF had to furlough eight of its 16 employees on June 6, just days before the Department of the Interior announced it was terminating the grant award, which the agency has been receiving and distributing since 1998.
“We kept some [employees] in place because we were hopeful the funds would come through, but we’re not sure what that looks like now that we received a termination letter,” said RBFF Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Vatalaro. “At some point soon, we’ll run out of the remaining funds and those of us left will move on.”
While RBFF did receive $13.7 million in federal funding in 2024, according to the organization’s most recent financial statement, none of those funds come from general taxpayer dollars. Instead, the RBFF is funded through the much-celebrated excise tax on fishing tackle and boating equipment. In fact, the RBFF was established to cooperate with the USFWS in compliance with a federal law established 27 years ago; RBFF has worked closely with the sportfishing industry and state agencies to grow fishing participation and reinvest in the outdoor economy.
RBFF says its has helped increase fishing participation to record-high levels last year and contributed to the sportfishing and boating industries, which both contribute $230 billion apiece in economic impact, along with nearly 2 million total jobs and billions in tax revenue.
“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 in a statement. “These figures signal that the industry and the economic activity it drives could be at severe risk.”
The grant funding terminated by DOGE cannot help offset the national debt without an act of Congress.
Click here to read the full report from Outdoor Life.
