•Bull now restoration efforts hit full stride in 1995 with a mapr increase in efforts by FWP wardens to enforce regulations protecting bull trout and a public educauon effort to inform people about the issue The Flathead River bull trout spawning run increased moderately and the spawning run in the Swan River reached another record high • FWP and the Forest Service crafted the nauon's first framework for |oindy managing fish, wildlife and habitat in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex This unique agreement sets up shared responsi- bility for law enforcement, fish stocking, fire management, public education and other functions • In 1995, information received from concerned citizens through TIP-MONT, FWP's toll-free violation report line, resulted in over 500 subsequent investigations by Montana game wardens. These investigations led to prosecution in nearly 20 percent of the cases • FWP spent approximately $ 266,000 in 1995 in response to requests for game damage assistance from private landowners or in efforts to ward off anticipated game damage problems Hunteis realized the benefits of these efforts through increased access to private lands and accessibility to game animals that might otherwise not be available managing our ^j][(jresources • FWP completed an Environmental Impact Statement on the management of mountain lions in Montana. The document will guide future management of these large predators in the state • FWP increased its education efforts and enforcement patrols in areas inhabited by speaes of special concern, especially bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grayling and paddlefish. The effort is intend- ed to minimize unlawful and unin- tentional taking of these species to ensure viable and sustainable popu- lations of nauve speaes • In an attempt to help recover the only remaining stream-dwelling grayling population in the lower 48 states, biologists reintroduced them into the Gallaun and East Gallatin rivers to determine if those waters are sull suitable grayling habitat. • FWP spent approximately 1 1 10,000 on weed control efforts on depart- ment-owned properties, or 42 cents per acre, which represents more dollars spent per acre owned than any other state or federal land manager in Montana • In 1994, the latest year for which complete fish stocking information is available, FWP fish hatcheries pro- duced over 7 million salmonid fish for stocking in lakes and reservoirs In addition, the Miles City warm- water hatchery produced approxi- mately 35 million walleye fry, 300,000 largemouth bass and hundreds of thousands of other warm-water fish WHIRLING DISEASE- an update: In December 1994, whirling disease was confirmed as the cause of a 90 percent decline of the rainbow trout population in the upper Madison River in southwestern Montana In the spnng of 1995, after a year of study, the Governor's Whirling Disease Task Force told Governor Marc Racicot that "whirling disease is the most significant threat to the suivival of wild, naturally reproduc- ing trout populations in Montana." So far, the disease has been discov- ered in trout m 23 Montana locations, including streams in the Madison, Jefferson, Clark Fork, Beaverhead and Swan River drainages The dis- ease has been found in wild popula- tions of rainbow, brook and brown trout, Arctic grayling and westslope cutthroat trout also have been infect- ed in field experiments. The task force believes diat whirling disease is likely, over time, to spread to every major over drainage in Montana where both trout and the parasite's alternative host- small, stream- dwelling worms- are found. The task force has recommended that all acuons to address whirling disease be consistent with protecting, pre- serving and rcstonng self-sustaining populations of wild, nauve and non- native trout where the money comes from . „ ^ • budgeted, fiscal year REVENUES Lyy 0 FWP IS FUNDED PRIMARILY BY USER FEES. LESS THAN \% OF FWP’S TOTAL BUDGET COMES FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND. HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES This includes all license sales revenue, interest earnings and other miscellaneous revenue Non resident sales account [or nearly 2'Srds of FWP’s total license revenue 63.7% $29,701,153 FEDERAL REVENUES The department receives federal monies to: aid in fish & wildlife restoration efforts; for parks development and maintenance; for boating safety, education, regulation, and other programs In FY 96 nearly 90% of FWP's federal assistance, or approximately 19 million, was apportioned to Montana for fish and wildlife restorauon through the Pittman-Robcnson (PR ) and Wallop-Breaux (W.B.) programs P R monies are derived from an excise tax on sporting arms and ammunioon, pistols and resolvers and certain archery equipment. W.B. monies arc derived from an excise tax on fishing equipment and electric trolling motors, a portion of ihc federal fuels tax and import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats The balance of the federal monies comes from various federal sources and is used for other purposes, including parks proiects 21.7% $10,133,911 OTHER STATE REVENUES Other state revenue sources include: fees for state park use; a portion of the state’s lodging facilities use tax, a small percentage of the state fuel tax; interest earnings from coal severance tax receipts; and other miscella- neous revenue sources 137% $6,403,626 GENERAL FUND State tax dollars. 0.9% $410,747 TOTAL REVENUES. $46,649,437 where the money got . budgeted, fiscal year EXPENDITURES L yy 0 FWP SPENDS ITS MONEY TWO WAYS: OPERATIONS for day-today management of fish, wildlife & park resources. CAPITAL for major repair & maintenance of FWP properties, for renovation & construction of facilities and to protect and enhance critical habitats. operating $5,134,618 parks: capital $2,951,500 total $8,086,118 % of total 17 3 The parks division is responsible for develop- ment, maintenance and operauon of all state parks and affiliated sites with an objective of providing diverse recreational opportuni- ties while preserving important historical and cultural resources within Montana operating $ 7,267335 Wildlife: capital $3,514,860 total $10,782,195 % of total 23.1 The wildlife division is responsible for man- aging all speaes of big game, upland game birds, waterfowl, furbearers, non-game birds and endangered wildlife in the state operating $5,976,368 fisheries: apjul $3,630,000 total $9,606,368 % of total 20.6 The fishenes division is responsible for the management and perpetuauon of Montana's fish and other aquauc resources conservation education operaung $1,914,210 % of total 4.1 The conservation educaUon division acts as a clearinghouse for disseminaUng information on FWP activities and news items to the media and conducts a variety of educational and recreation safety programs. enforcement: « $5,576,810 12.0 The enforcement division is responsible for enforcing all the fish and game laws of Montana, FWP rules and Commission regulations. Division personnel also enforce state boating and snowmobile rules and state park regulauons as well as private property laws & regulations as they deal with hunting and fishing field services: $3,472,018 7.4 The field services division is responsible for FWP's lands program, construcUon projects & landowner-sportsperson's relations program. management & finance: operanng_ capital_ total_ ~ % of total $6,926,958 $ 284,760 $7,211,718 155 The Helena-based Director's office staff makes major policy and administrauve decisions Regional supervisors handle on-the-ground implementauon of policies and programs The Administration and Finance Division is responsible for accounting, purchasing, personnel, data processing and administrauon of FWP's licensing functions. DEPARTMENT TOTAL. operaung capital total $36,268,317 $10,381,120 $46,649,437 MONTANA STATE LIBRARY 1 Cl Ci C iave on ^le s,ate s lan