The state has received $1.2 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to increase recreational fishing and boating through outreach, education and partnerships.
The Department of Environmental Management was among 16 awardees selected from 127 applications nationwide. The grants are awarded through the National Outreach and Communication Program, which aims to reverse declining participation in fishing and boating. The hobbies support Rhode Island’s economy and fund aquatic conservation.
The state will focus its efforts on Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3), a national initiative to reverse declining participation numbers in outdoor recreation and license sales. With over 400 miles of coastline and hundreds of freshwater lakes and ponds covering over 20,000 acres, Rhode Island has abundant fishing and boating opportunities. Despite this, participation has plateaued and the initiative will seek to reduce barriers to access, promote safe and responsible angling and boating practices, and support the stewardship of the state’s aquatic resources.
“Securing this funding is a major win for Rhode Island,” said the state’s director of environmental management, Terry Gray. “Rhode Island is home to some of the best angling and boating in the country, and this funding will help us build on that legacy, opening the door for even more people to experience, enjoy and connect with the extraordinary outdoors that makes our state so special.”