This grant provides funding to the utah division of wildlife resources (udwr) for the completion of sportfish work across the state

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $3.04 million to the State of Utah, Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) through the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. This formula grant funds five integrated sportfish management projects across Utah. Project activities include fish population and habitat monitoring using electrofishing and netting methods, angler success tracking through creel surveys and online platforms, and aquatic invasive species monitoring with emphasis on dreissinid mussel populations. Additionally, the grant supports direct fish population management through spawning programs, remote location stocking operations, and removal of non-native invasive fish species.

The award also supports critical infrastructure and stakeholder engagement activities. Grant funding covers dam habitat improvements, angler access maintenance, and post-construction monitoring at aquatic recreation sites, as well as staff time for project design and oversight. Finally, the grant funds stakeholder involvement initiatives, including meetings with partner organizations and permit application review support to foster collaborative relationships in sport fisheries management. The Sport Fish Restoration program, financed through excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel, supports this comprehensive approach to maintaining viable sport fishery resources and public recreational access across the state.

The work is divided across five projects. The first project covers the monitoring of utahs fish populations and habitat. The udwr uses grant funding to sample fish populations using various methods such as netting and electrofishing. Additional biological data that is collected includes the monitoring of invertebrates and fish species that provide forage for sportfish. Efforts to monitor angler success and preferences through creel reward tag and online surveys is also included as part of this project. The udwr also uses grant funds to monitor fish habitat through actions such as collecting temperature oxygen and other abiotic information. In addition the grant covers the monitoring of aquatic invasive species populations. The program has historically focused on dreissinid mussel population monitoring but is expanding to cover the monitoring of other aquatic invasive species. The second project covers actions that directly manipulate fish populations. Actions include collecting fish for spawning programs and transport of fish to remote locations for stocking. This grant covers spawning and stocking efforts that are not under the hatchery grant. Other actions covered under this project include the chemical and mechanical removal of non native or invasive fish species. The third project covers DAM habitat and angler access improvements and maintenance. This grant is used to cover the staff time required to monitor dams habitat and angler access areas and to design and oversee projects in these areas. Additional post construction monitoring work is also covered by this grant. The fourth project covers stakeholder involvement. Actions under this project include holding meetings with other stakeholders and assisting stakeholders by reviewing permit applications. The intent of this project is to foster good relationships with these stakeholders and to assist them with their work. The fifth project involves providing technical support. Actions under this project include the investigation of fish kills and inspecting privately owned fish ponds to ensure that these ponds have minimal risk to public fisheries. This project includes the review of internally and externally developed project proposals.