Washington D.C. - The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is pleased to see a series of reports released today by the American Sportfishing Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, showcasing expenditures made for hunting, target shooting and sportfishing gear and services in 2016 supported 1.6 million jobs and provided $72 billion in salaries and wages.

“Outdoor recreation is one of our nation’s largest economic engines and benefits vital conservation and education programs that benefit all Americans,” stated Virgil Moore, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Director of Idaho Fish and Game. “Hunting, fishing and wildlife watching are part of our national heritage and continue to be powerful forces in our nation’s economy.”

Key highlights of the reports include:

·Each year, 35.8 million people 16 years and older take to America’s waters to fish.

·More than 28 million people over 16 years old took to our nation’s forests and gun ranges to hunt and target shoot in 2016.

·The number of people who participate in sportfishing, hunting and target shooting represents 16.5 percent of the total U.S. population.

·When factoring in multiplier effects, spending by sportsmen created economic activity in excess of $220 billion.

·Hunting, fishing and shooting adds $119 billion of overall value to our nation’s gross domestic product and generates $17.6 billion in federal taxes and $12.2 billion in state and local taxes.

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.