Washington D.C.- On July 29, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its long-awaited report to the Senate Finance Committee studying the gap in collection of excise taxes on archery and angling equipment sold directly to consumers from outside of the U.S. by online vendors. Led by our partners at the Archery Trade Association and the American Sportfishing Association, one of AFWA’s top priorities has been securing corrective action to ensure these funds are collected, as resolved by our membership at the 2022 AFWA Annual Meeting.

“The GAO report reinforces our longstanding position that Congressional action is needed, and goes even further to recommend that Congress consider making U.S. online marketplaces responsible for sport fishing and archery excise taxes on consumer import sales in which they are involved,” said Chuck Sykes, Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and President of the Association. “This is a monumental step towards securing a legislative fix to ensure that the millions of excise tax dollars that state fish and wildlife agencies rely on to deliver conservation in this nation are collected fairly, and the Association will continue to offer our full support.”

Excise taxes on sportfishing and archery equipment provide dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation. Without legislation making U.S. online marketplaces responsible for the excise taxes on archery and angling equipment sold directly to consumers from outside of the U.S., states and territories are missing out on millions of dollars in dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation needed to protect our natural resources.