Tennessee lawmakers are looking for new, stable revenue sources to fill shortfalls in the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s budget.
Agency Director Jason Maxedon warned lawmakers in February that the agency’s Wildlife Fund — which is used to maintain wildlife management areas, fish stocking, enforcement and shooting ranges — will be depleted by fiscal year 2030 if nothing changes.
The agency needs about $18.5 million in recurring revenue to provide security over the next decade, Maxedon said.
The agency has been funded mainly through hunting, fishing and boating license fees and federal reimbursements, but expenses have ballooned as the legislature has placed more responsibility on the agency. License fees have not been adjusted since 2015, so costs have overtaken revenue, Maxedon said.
“This method is no longer sustainable, not just in Tennessee, but all the other states across the country that are self-funded through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses,” he said.