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Show Financial problems still plague Division of Wildlife tancial problems still plague the ih State Division of Wildlife i sources. ; "Cost-of-living salary increases and ' fan are taking all existing money iihe recent license fee increase," Division Director Douglas Day. ladds that the higher nonresident ;ame license fees, along with ex-ive ex-ive gasoline prices, may I airage many nonresident hunters I coming to Utah. However, it is too early to assess the il impact of the license increase," iments Day. leavy cutbacks in Division jrams have been required recently keep expenditures in line with tnue. Ttiese reductions were not an-., an-., fated by the State Legislature," 5 Day. V example, during the past two s, the Legislature has approved stering the Division's conservation w force by six persons if funding " available. These positions have sorely been W to cope with additional work 'and increasing poaching problems experienced by Division officers," reports Day. However, not only has the Division been unable to fund these six additional positions, but several other conservation con-servation officer positions have been left vacant due to lack of money. Law enforcement is not the only area where positions are empty. In all, there are 40 fewer personnel to carry on Utah's wildlife work. Beaver Fish Hatchery was closed -. last year, and present fiscal problems have delayed remodeling plans for Panguitch Hatchery. The Division has been forced to curtail wildlife habitat acquisition and development of critical big game winter ranges. The Division is advising Utahns, "There is no money for fish conservation con-servation pools in new state water development projects." "The overall impact of shortchanging short-changing wildlife programs today will not be felt by the average Utah sportsman sport-sman this year for the next few years," indicates Day. "But there will be a day of accountability. In a few 1 years, the opportunity to enjoy wildlife recreation will be much less than it is now." |
