Sport fishing, boating and aquatic resource education programs for today’s youth received a boost this Spring with the Fish and Boat Commission awarding educational grants totaling more than $50,000.

Ten organizations will receive Sportfishing and Aquatic Resource Education Grants from the Fish and Boat Commission to develop or expand programs that teach fishing and boating skills or educate participants about waterways and the organisms that live within them.

“The Sportfishing and Aquatic Resource Education Grants program expands on the Commission’s long-standing commitment to youth education,” Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Dr. Doug Austen said. “I’m excited to see some of the outcomes of these grass roots projects, as research shows that well-structured education programs such as these lead to kids increasing their interest in fishing and boating, improving their skills, and helping them build a greater sense of aquatic stewardship and outdoor ethics.”

The volume and quality of applications the Fish and Boat Commission received in three rounds of grant applications exhibits a clear demand for even more of this type of programming in Pennsylvania.

Since June 2006, the Commission received 125 applications for the grants, requesting more than $419,000. With the grants announced this week, more than 40 organizations have received more than $150,000 in funding through the Education Grant Program.

“The challenge is to provide the resources necessary to re-engage youth in outdoor activities,” Austen said. “Succeeding in this effort is critical to the future of sportfishing and building a more environmentally connected citizenry.”

Increased funding for grassroots initiatives such as this grant program is one of the cornerstones of a Fish and Boat Commission initiative to expand youth-oriented programming using revenue from a youth fishing license.

House Bill 1436, sponsored by Representatives Gergely (D-Allegheny) and McGeehan (D-Philadelphia) proposes a low-cost fishing license for anglers 12-15 years of age, with the revenue used to fund programs such as the Education Grants. This approach will let the grant program grow not only in dollars distributed, but also in the number of youth and adults benefiting from new and expanding programs.

A list of grants awarded is available online.

For more information on fishing education programs for kids, visit the Fish and Boat Commission education webpage.

4/11/2008