Lawmakers call for audit of DNR accounts
Two local elected officials have called for an audit of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife account, while a third doesn’t think that would do anything but prove what the state agency has already said.
Those calls were in response to the DNR’s decision to pause the trout-rearing co-op program this year, upsetting many local conservation clubs. The program had been in place since at least 1950, but the DNR informed clubs they would not release the expected 50,000 fingerling trout to club-run ponds. In past years, groups such as the Independence Elk Rod and Gun Club and Waumandee Rod and Gun Club raised the young trout before releasing them into local streams.
Dave Giehtbrock, fish culture and section leader for the state DNR, cited cost as the reason for not releasing the fish. He said much of the funding program comes from income generated by license sales. License fees haven’t increased for 18 years and the total number of licenses sold has decreased, while costs for the program have increased by 200 percent.
While ERGC president Mike Blaha and Waumandee Rod and Gun president Joe Sendelbach told the Times they would not oppose raising the license fees, Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) said doing so would be a “non-starter” until an audit on the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife account is complete.
“Before we consider license and fee increases to address the account deficit, I would like to first see the legislature require a full accounting of the spending of the dollars we already have coming in,” Stafsholt said in a press release sent by his office on July 11.
Stafsholt represents the state’s 10th District, which includes much of Trempealeau County. He is a member of the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage.
Rep. Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi), who also represents much of Trempealeau County, joined Stafsholt’s call, indicating the DNR has more money than it has let on.
“Something doesn’t seem right to me and it appears that there has been an incredible mismanagement and misallocation of funds on the DNR’s part and that is not okay,” Pronschinske said in a statement issued to the Times. “The DNR has over $100 million in their Fish and Wildlife account because of the $74.6 million they were allotted this year combined with the $25 million they transferred from the Forestry account and the additional almost $3 million because of the raising of out-of-state license fees. They have the money to support their endeavors, they just seemingly don’t have wise money management to go along with it.”
Pronschinske is the chair of the Assembly Committee on Sporting Heritage.
Justine Hasz, bureau director for the Bureau of Fisheries Management with the state DNR said the increase in out-of-state license fees, helps, but only accounts for about 14 percent of the $16 million deficit the department was looking at. She said the $25 million transfer is spread throughout various programs that are funded by the Fish and Wildlife account and has been used to balance the budget.
“The general Fish and Wildlife account funds a large variety of fisheries, wildlife management and public safety operational functions,” Hasz said. “This funding has gone toward supporting the continuing operations of department programs, and has lessened the degree to which programs have had to be scaled back.”
In a statement sent out to local clubs, Andy Janssen, deputy legislative director for the DNR, wrote Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget included an increase of $234,700 to assist fisheries operations, but that request was removed by the Joint Committee on Finance. He said the committee also removed five positions from the Bureau of Fisheries Management.
“The difficult decision to pause this program is due to the structural deficit which exists in the Fish and Wildlife account and is part of a larger cost reduction strategy to ensure the Department of Natural Resources and Bureau works within our allotted budget,” Janssen wrote.
Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska), who represents the southern part of Trempealeau County after redistricting was approved earlier this year, said he isn’t opposed to an audit, but suspects it will confirm what the DNR has already reported.
“Specifically, that this program, and others funded similarly are low on funds,” Doyle said. “The DNR requested additional funds to keep the program going during the budget process, but that funding was removed by the Joint Finance Committee. If we want these programs around we need to fund them.”
Doyle said that funding could come from increasing license fees, the budget or “a different solution entirely.”
Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) said the legislature should be working to find a solution.
“I want to make sure we can continue to support the trout population in Trempealeau County,” Pfaff said in a statement issued to the Times. “The DNR has stated that there is a budget deficit in the Fish and Wildlife account. If the problem is a funding deficit, the legislature should come back into session and secure funding to address the problem and ensure our co-ops are stocked. There’s no excuse for remaining adjourned through the end of the year when there are pressing issues like this across our state.”
The Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage hasn’t met since March and the Assembly Committee on Sporting Heritage hasn’t met since February.
Like members of local conservation clubs, Pronschinske expressed frustration with the DNR’s communication. Sendelbach said the Waumandee club’s trout pond was inspected on June 19 and found out the next day it would not be receiving any fish.
“What exasperates me the most is the complete lack of communication,” Pronschinske said. “They gave no warning and watched as sportsman’s club after sportsman’s club prepped for the trout stocking season.”
Pronschinske said he pressed the DNR for information for two weeks before the group responded with a statement.
“Their statement of course did not take any accountability,” Pronschinske said. “Their big complaint was that they didn’t have enough money but, as stated above, this is an inaccurate statement of facts.”
DNR officials said the fish hatched in November would be released in streams near their hatcheries, but local residents reported seeing DNR officials offloading the fingerlings in Waumandee area streams last week. Giehtbrock did not respond to a request to comment on if fish were released in local streams.