Lake Champlain United - Forums

raz wrote:I wrote and got a response almost immediately:

Dear Gerry:

Thank you for reaching out regarding Vermont’s fish hatcheries.

Due to continued structural cost pressures in state government, we began the budget-making process for state government with a $40 million deficit. Similarly, as is reflected in my FY20 budget proposal, the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fiscal position continues to be challenging. Increased costs from staff benefits, internal service charges, and revenue shortfalls meant the Department was faced with an estimated $450,000 gap by the time the budget was due to be completed.

The Department continues to see a decrease in the number of annual hunting and fishing licenses sold. The number of resident fishing, hunting and combination licenses sold decreased by 3.3% from 2017 to 2018 and was down 7.6% in 2018 compared to the previous three-year average. These licenses generate over a third of all hunting and angling license and permit revenue. Net revenues for just these three licenses produced a loss of $85,149 between 2017 and 2018. Based on the 2018 license year, projections for license sales in future years have been downgraded. While it would have been possible to cover the shortfall through increases in hunting, fishing and trapping licenses, I am concerned about the impact of growing prices on the ability of Vermonters to continue to live in our state.

The Department leadership worked with Secretary Moore to evaluate a range of possible strategies for addressing the shortfall. This was difficult work and there were no easy choices; the budget reflects the most responsible approach given the short-term and long-term position of the Department. The proposed budget addresses the shortfall through a mix of increased General Fund allocation and budget reductions. Most notably, the budget includes a 4.9% increase in the Department’s General Fund allocation and the decommissioning of the Salisbury Fish Culture Station.

The reasons for proposing the decommissioning the Salisbury Fish Culture Station (SAFCS) as opposed to another fish hatchery are two-fold. First, SAFCS is the Department’s most expensive in terms of dollars per-pound of the fish produced. Second, the facility is in need of significant infrastructure upgrades – preliminary estimates total upwards of $12 million – to meet modern discharge requirements under the Vermont Water Quality Standards and the federal Clean Water Act if it is to continue operating in future years, a problem made more significant by a change in how far downstream the effluent from the hatchery is measured.

While my Administration remains committed to efforts to grow revenue streams related to hunting and fishing licenses, the non-game fund, conservation license plates, and the habitat stamp, the proposed budget begins the hard work needed to better match our operations to current revenues.

Put simply, the significant capital expenditures required for the SAFCS to meet water quality standards coupled with ongoing operating expenses of the facility are overwhelming.

To be clear, my Administration remains committed to continuing to invest in our fish hatcheries. These hatcheries foster both economic and recreational opportunities across Vermont. In October of 2018, we began reconstruction of the Roxbury Fish Hatchery severely damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Similarly, in 2017, Department staff lead efforts to increase the energy efficiency, environmental impact, and cost savings of fish culture stations across the state. I’m proud of these efforts we’ve undertaken to improve our fish hatcheries throughout the state.

If you have any further questions regarding the SAFCS, please don’t hesitate to contact the Department directly (802-828-1000) or my office (802-828-3333).

Again, thank you for reaching out.

Sincerely,

Philip B. Scott

Governor

PBS/hd

I got this same response word for word from my message to the governor. He doesn't have our backs this is the gun rights fight all over again. I urge all fisherman to contact their local representatives. Phil Scott is not reading our messages, he is not considering long term impacts. Him and Louis Porter are taking a short term approach to a long term issue.

I am opposed to closing the Salisbury Hatchery. I have also seen the canned response:

"Thank you for reaching out regarding Vermont’s fish hatcheries.

Due to continued structural cost pressures in state government, we began the budget-making process for state government with a $40 million deficit. Similarly, as is reflected in my FY20 budget proposal, the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fiscal position continues to be challenging. Increased costs from staff benefits, internal service charges, and revenue shortfalls meant the Department was faced with an estimated $450,000 gap by the time the budget was due to be completed.

The Department continues to see a decrease in the number of annual hunting and fishing licenses sold. The number of resident fishing, hunting and combination licenses sold decreased by 3.3% from 2017 to 2018 and was down 7.6% in 2018 compared to the previous three-year average. These licenses generate over a third of all hunting and angling license and permit revenue. Net revenues for just these three licenses produced a loss of $85,149 between 2017 and 2018. Based on the 2018 license year, projections for license sales in future years have been downgraded. While it would have been possible to cover the shortfall through increases in hunting, fishing and trapping licenses, I am concerned about the impact of growing prices on the ability of Vermonters to continue to live in our state.

The Department leadership worked with Secretary Moore to evaluate a range of possible strategies for addressing the shortfall. This was difficult work and there were no easy choices; the budget reflects the most responsible approach given the short-term and long-term position of the Department. The proposed budget addresses the shortfall through a mix of increased General Fund allocation and budget reductions. Most notably, the budget includes a 4.9% increase in the Department’s General Fund allocation and the decommissioning of the Salisbury Fish Culture Station.

The reasons for proposing the decommissioning the Salisbury Fish Culture Station (SAFCS) as opposed to another fish hatchery are two-fold. First, SAFCS is the Department’s most expensive in terms of dollars per-pound of the fish produced. Second, the facility is in need of significant infrastructure upgrades – preliminary estimates total upwards of $12 million – to meet modern discharge requirements under the Vermont Water Quality Standards and the federal Clean Water Act if it is to continue operating in future years, a problem made more significant by a change in how far downstream the effluent from the hatchery is measured.

While my Administration remains committed to efforts to grow revenue streams related to hunting and fishing licenses, the non-game fund, conservation license plates, and the habitat stamp, the proposed budget begins the hard work needed to better match our operations to current revenues.

Put simply, the significant capital expenditures required for the SAFCS to meet water quality standards coupled with ongoing operating expenses of the facility are overwhelming.

To be clear, my Administration remains committed to continuing to invest in our fish hatcheries. These hatcheries foster both economic and recreational opportunities across Vermont. In October of 2018, we began reconstruction of the Roxbury Fish Hatchery severely damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Similarly, in 2017, Department staff lead efforts to increase the energy efficiency, environmental impact, and cost savings of fish culture stations across the state. I’m proud of these efforts we’ve undertaken to improve our fish hatcheries throughout the state.

If you have any further questions regarding the SAFCS, please don’t hesitate to contact the Department directly (802-828-1000) or my office (802-828-3333).

Again, thank you for reaching out.

Sincerely,

Philip B. Scott

Governor"

But I want to probe deeper. You write: "The number of resident fishing, hunting and combination licenses sold decreased by 3.3% from 2017 to 2018 and was down 7.6% in 2018 compared to the previous three-year average. These licenses generate over a third of all hunting and angling license and permit revenue. Net revenues for just these three licenses produced a loss of $85,149 between 2017 and 2018." My question is how much of this decrease was tied to decreased hunting licenses? To confuse deer herd management issues, suburbanization, and an aging hunting population as an excuse to cut down fisheries budget seems shortsighted. Can you provide the fishing, hunting and combo numbers for the past 3 years cited by you? Can I safely presume that fisheries monies more than pay for themselves via tourist and recreational dollars?

I hope everyone takes this very serious and writes and calls in phone calls get better results than emails. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease! Also I heard Phil found some extra money in the budget to enhance Mountain Bike Trails wonder where that's coming from

Sent an email to Loius Porter and recommend other do the same. His reply was not canned, but didn't resolve my issues either. Also am emailing all of my local reps.

The Gov is throwing Louis Porter under the bus on this one. Louis by no means wants to shut down the Hatchery it all on Phil Scott

Also do a little research on the License sale statement in these responses they are not accurate License sales in general are down but not so much on the fishing end.

Paul - See my earlier communication to the Governor (copied and posted above) which raised the specific issue of license sales. Do you know if the requested data about license sales is available publically and if so, where? I have received no response to my communication.

From :https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documen ... 8-2016.pdf


"The economic impact of sport fishing in
Vermont was estimated to be $147.1 million in retail
sales, providing 2,420 jobs and $16.0 million in state
and local tax revenues.
‹ Conserves and restores fish habitat including
restoring stream buffers, removing barriers to fish
passage from dams and culverts, and protecting
water quality.
‹ Provides regulated and sustainable fishing opportunities,
including maintaining 180 Fishing Access Areas
statewide.
‹ Restores populations of fish such as muskie, lake sturgeon
and salmon and controls the spread of aquatic nuisance
species.
The direct boost from hatcheries alone was conservatively
estimated at $31.6 million annually. With an overall cost of
approximately $3.3 million in 2014, fish culture program
yields an almost 9:1 return on investment, a true bargain
given that almost half of the costs of the hatchery program are
covered by federal funds.

Captain Paul wrote:The Gov is throwing Louis Porter under the bus on this one. Louis by no means wants to shut down the Hatchery it all on Phil Scott

He may be doing that, but Porter could push back and isn't. He is backing the plan publicly, and in email replies.

Just found this from 2012, they put this project out to bid back then and didn’t move forward with renovations
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/pdf ... tation.pdf

keithm87 wrote:Just found this from 2012, they put this project out to bid back then and didn’t move forward with renovations
http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/pdf ... tation.pdf

Interesting find. I'd be curious as to what happened with the bids and why a contract wasn't secured.
Certainly not procrastination?

Yeah looks like the bids were the first step in a "feasibility study" so my guess is that they decided to punt when they got the bids... but had they not punted, and raised the issue back then to the public, they could have come up with a plan...

Bad news travels fast and this proposed hatchery closing is snowballing and gaining speed as bad news quickly...now the Vermont State Employees' Association (labor union) is getting in on spreading the bad news!
Remember to write and/or make those calls!!
https://www.facebook.com/vseaunite/post ... 5006187468

If you have social media spread the word to all of your friends! Post on other forums! This proposal cannot become a reality! My marriage depends on it as do I assume many other members who's wives would kill us if we were home more often!

They always seem to be able to come up with money for the bike path on the fill. Millions in repair since Irene. Idiots leaving docks over winter, no problem , we'll buy new ones. License bikes, kayaks and binoculars!