Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2026

This legislation proposes to extend the authorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for an additional five years, through fiscal year 2031. This fund is a primary source of federal support for state-led conservation efforts, fisheries management, and recreational boating infrastructure. It is funded by excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuels, operating as a user-pay system where the people who use the resources contribute to their upkeep.

If enacted, the bill would ensure continued funding for projects such as fish stocking, habitat restoration, and the maintenance of thousands of public boat ramps and access sites across the country. It also aims to support boating safety programs and search-and-rescue operations managed by state agencies. Additionally, the bill proposes to update the Multistate Conservation Grant Program by removing certain annual funding caps for individual states and establishing new minimum grant amounts to better support large-scale conservation projects.