Officials of the D.C. Booth National Fish Hatchery in Spearfish, South Dakota may have spilled the beans on a plan by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to close many, if not all, of the nation’s fish hatcheries on October 1, the beginning of the new federal fiscal year. USFWS officials have refused comment, saying they’re “in the middle of a review process”. April Gregory, Director of the Booth Society, the nonprofit fisheries friends group of the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archive sent
The Outdoor Wire an email late yesterday afternoon saying that word from “reliable contacts in Washington, D.C.” say the Booth Hatchery is one of “several” national fish hatcheries set for October 1, 2013 closure.” According to Gregory, The Booth Society has “committed itself” to saving the hatchery which has been open since 1896.
Our reliable sources tell US other hatcheries on the chopping block are “primarily located in the south.” We will keep you posted.
D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery to close
Save Our Hatchery from Closure
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Directorate in Washington D.C. have emphasized and prioritized other programs over those of the National Fisheries Program.
As a result, the agency has made the decision to permanently shut down multiple fish hatcheries nationwide, including the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery.
This closure is expected to be effective October 1, 2013. Take Action Now to Help Save the Hatchery!
The most important thing you can do to help the Hatchery is send a letter of support for the Hatchery to your S.D. Congressional delegates, to the USFWS and to Gov. Daugaard.
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives to Close October 1
(August 20, 2013—SPEARFISH, S.D.) D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery (NFH) has been a landmark in Spearfish since 1896. D.C. Booth Historic NFH currently propagates trout for the Black Hills through a cooperative effort with the State of South Dakota; serves as a American fisheries archive to protect and preserve fisheries records and artifacts for educational, research, and historic purposes; provides interpretive and educational programs for the public; and is a cultural treasure located on the National Historic Register.
For numerous years the National Fish Hatchery System, a branch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has struggled with declining funding and annual increases in the costs of doing business (utilities, fuel costs, supplies, etc.). The actual impacts are even greater when you take into account the significant budget challenges resulting from across the board cuts mandated by sequestration.
In addition to these ongoing financial issues, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Directorate in Washington D.C. have emphasized and prioritized other programs over those of the National Fisheries Program. As a result, the agency has made the decision to permanently shut down multiple fish hatcheries nationwide, including the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery. This closure is expected to be effective October 1, 2013.
The Booth Society, Inc., the citizen-based nonprofit friends group of D.C. Booth NFH, has committed itself to advocating for keeping D.C. Booth Historic NFH open as a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service hatchery, as it is today.
The Booth Society is against wasteful spending and supports a fiscally sound government. However, the national fisheries program and a facility like D.C. Booth are excellent examples of good government spending. They provide an economic impact that the public should be proud of. For example a 2011 economic impact study indicates that:
- Each taxpayer dollar budgeted for the National Fisheries Program generates $28 in economic returns ($28 : $1). The revenue generated can be seen at sporting goods stores, marinas, boat dealerships, guides and outfitter services, bait shops, gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.
- 68,000 American jobs are attributable to the economic contribution of the National Fisheries Program.
- The National Fisheries Program contributes $3.6 billion in annual contributions to the U.S. economy. That equates to $70 million a week or $10 million a day. In fact, a company with $3.6 billion in annual profits would rank No. 41 on the Fortune 500 List of America’s Most Profitable Corporations – behind Verizon but in front of Kraft Foods.
- $903 million in industrial output results from angling for fish originating in National Fish Hatcheries.
- On the local level, a 2007 economic impact study on D.C. Booth Historic NFH conducted by Black Hills State University revealed:
- The operations at D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery results in $2.1 million dollars in annual business revenues.
- An estimated $1 million is spent by nonresident visitors in Spearfish each year who attributed their visit ONLY to the existence of the hatchery.
- $141,393 in local and state tax and fee revenues are collected indirectly from the visitation at D.C. Booth.
- Nearly 30 jobs are created locally as a result of the operations at D.C. Booth.
- Over 14,000 volunteer hours are donated annually to D.C. Booth. This is equivalent to seven full-time employees.
To learn more about the economic impact of the Hatchery on the Spearfish economy, go to http://dcboothfishhatchery.org/pdfs/Booth_Fish_Hatchery_Economic_Impact_Study_Report.pdf
To learn more about the impact of fisheries on the U.S. economy to tohttp://dcboothfishhatchery.org/pdfs/Fisheries_Economic_Value_2011.pdf
This message is through the Booth Society, Inc., the official nonprofit friends group of D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery. Its content does not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Take Action Now to Help Save the Hatchery!
The most important thing you can do to help the Hatchery is send a letter of support for the Hatchery to your S.D. Congressional delegates, to the USFWS and to Gov. Daugaard. The addresses are listed below. You will find text for a sample letter below.
Ask your co-workers, friends, neighbors, family and associates to send a letter or call the Senate today!
Contact the USFWS, S.D. Congressional Delegation and the SD Governor.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service intends to close D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery effective Oct. 1, 2013. Oct. 1, 2013 is not far away. We need YOUR help to keep this educational attraction and cultural treasure OPEN.
WRITE, VISIT or CALL your representatives TODAY. You may also email them through their website.
Senator John Thune
1313 West Main Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 348-7551
http://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Senator Tim Johnson
405 E. Omaha St., Suite B.
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 341-3990
http://www.johnson.senate.gov/public/?p=Contact
Representative Kristi Noem
343 Quincy Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 791-4673
http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/contact?p=email-kristi
Governor Dennis Daugaard
Office of the Governor
500 E Capitol Ave
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 773-3212
http://sd.gov/governor/contact.aspx
Dan Ashe, Director USFWS
1849 C ST NW
Room 3331 Washington
District of Columbia 20240-0001
Phone: 202 208-4717
http://www.fws.gov/
Noreen Walsh, Regional Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
134 Union Boulevard
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
How to address your letter to our State’s Congressional Delegation:
-Date
-Address letter in following form: The Honorable [Member Name]
[U.S. House of Representatives or United States Senate]
Address
-Salutation: Dear Senator OR Representative [insert last name]
-Content:
Use the following sample text as the basis for your letter. Or write one from scratch. The more you customize, the better. Legislators value original letters more than form letters.
-Closing:
Sincerely/Yours truly/or your favored choice of words,
Your name
*Your address (Address is very important. It enables the legislator to identify you as a real constituent.)
SAMPLE LETTER TEXT (Names and addresses must be included)
Date
Dear
I am a constituent from your district and care deeply about parks, recreation and conservation of open space, specifically D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives. My family and I value D.C. Booth and visit it frequently.
I see many of my fellow residents, as well as visitors from around the world, benefiting from the hatchery – especially its educational and cultural resources.
I understand that there is a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposal to cut funding for numerous hatcheries nationwide and shut them down. Hatcheries and the U.S. Fisheries program and its partners provide $3.6 billion in annual contributions to the U.S. economy. For comparison purposes, a company with $3.6 billion in annual profits would rank No. 41 on the Fortune 500 List of America’s Most Profitable Corporations – behind Verizon but in front of Kraft Foods. D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery is an important economic stimulator in my community, just as other hatcheries are for their local and state communities.
The economic impact to the hatchery to the Spearfish community is estimated to be over $2.1 million annually. The hatchery is the largest visitor attraction in town with over 155,000 visitors annually and 14,000 volunteer hours donated annually which is equivalent to seven full-time employees. $1 million is spent by nonresident visitors in Spearfish each year who attributed their visit only to the existence of the hatchery.
Please help us save the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives.
Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME)
Thank you for your help!
This message is through the Booth Society, Inc., the official nonprofit friends group of D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery. Its content does not reflect the official views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.