JACKSON  — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks revenue is strong going into the last month of Fiscal Year 2024. It is likely more revenue will come in from alligator tags, permits and application fees. 

Jason Thompson, Director of Administrative Services, said the May 2024 revenue was $441,755 an increase of two percent from May 2023. From July 2023 to June 1, 2024, the MDWFP collected $20 million in revenue with one more month left in the fiscal year. 

One of the bigger boosts this year was the creation of the fishing guide permit. Thompson said 108 fishing guide permits were sold with 96 of those guide permits from residents and 12 non residents. The new fishing permit brought in $74,850 in revenue alone. 

By comparison, MDWFP brought in $20.2 million in revenue in Fiscal Year 2023, July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. There have been slight increases in revenue over the Fiscal Years in part due to fee increases. 

License sales are crucial to the agency. About 90 percent of the annual budget funding for the MDWFP comes from license sales. 

MDWFP launched a new and improved website. Visit MDWFP.com to view the changes. It is just the start of changes ahead of the new license vendor for MDWFP.