TORONTO - A Progressive Conservative government would spend an additional $35 million a year on fish and wildlife programs in order to reverse shortfalls created by years of Liberal neglect, Opposition Leader John Tory said Thursday.

Despite prior election promises to match funds generated by sales of hunting and fishing licences, Tory said the Liberals haven't come up with the funding and that's left Ontario's fish and wildlife sector in "crisis.''

"I think it's important we protect that resource and honour that deal and put the money in to keep that resource healthy,'' said Tory, adding that more conservation officers would be hired and poaching fines would be increased.

If his Conservatives win the Oct. 10 vote, Tory said the new cash would kick in during his second year as premier. He made the announcement in Peterborough, Ont., to a gathering of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Despite about $60 million in annual contributions from hunters and anglers and $25 million from provincial taxpayers, Ontario's fish and wildlife program is short $35 million every year, according to the Conservatives.

However, those figures are off, said Jeff Leal, the Liberal member of provincial parliament for Peterborough.

"Today, we checked the budget numbers, and in fact, we're increasing the budget for the Ministry of Natural Resources by some $44 million,'' he said.

Contrary to the $35 million funding boost proposed by Tory, Leal said the Liberals have an $85 million fund designed "to assist the promotion of hunting and fishing and to keep it healthy.''

And during the past four years, the Liberals have increased the ministry's operating budget by 23 per cent, said Leal, who also acts as parliamentary assistant to the environment minister.

Leal said that when the Conservatives were in power, they closed 71 Ministry of Natural Resources offices and "took a hatchet'' to many of the staff positions.

"So over the past four years, we've been starting to rebuild,'' he said.

But a spokesman for the Conservatives said the Liberals actually cut the ministry's funding in the 2007 budget and notes that the majority of the $85 million comes from fees and licences paid by anglers and hunters.

The $85 million isn't enough, said Greg Farrant, manager of government relations for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Farrant, who welcomed Tory's announcement, said Ontario's fish and wildlife fund needs $120 million to operate properly.

"This $35 million brings the provincial contribution to where it should be, and hasn't been, since the late 1980s,'' he said.