WESTBORO, Mass. (AP) – Threatened with the loss of millions of federal dollars, Gov. Mitt Romney signed legislation Friday to restore money raised by hunting and fishing license fees to wildlife protection programs.

Last month, federal wildlife officials gave the state 30 days to restore license fee revenues that had been diverted into the cash-strapped state’s general fund or face the loss of its share of federal excise taxes on guns and fishing tackle. The excise tax grants amounted to about $4.7 million this year.

“Five million dollars can build a fire under a lot of people,” said Romney, who with several lawmakers came to a Fisheries and Wildlife Board meeting packed with sportsmen and environmentalists to sign the bill.

To receive the money, states must spend hunting and fishing license fees only on the preservation of wildlife and habitat.

The Legislature approved the bill a week ago. Sportsmen’s and environmental groups united in lobbying for restoration of the money.

This year’s budget had eliminated the Inland Fish and Game Fund as a dedicated fund. Romney and lawmakers instead rolled the funds into the general funds to help close a $3 billion state budget gap.

“As time goes on we’ll probably make more mistakes but I don’t have to tell you people to promise to call us,” Rep. William G. Greene Jr., D-Billerica, chairman of the Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee, told the audience.

Despite the dilemma, Romney said it “makes sense” to roll dedicated funds into the general fund. He said this case was different because it involved federal funds.

In addition to wildlife preservation, Massachusetts has also used a portion of the federal aid to support endangered species, marine fisheries and riverways protection programs.

The agency, which does not rely on tax money for its operations, takes in about $12.6 million annually, including the federal aid and $7 million in hunting and fishing license fees. In this year’s state budget appropriations, however, it was given about half that amount for operations.

The new legislation includes $200,000 to keep trout hatcheries in Sandwich and Montague operating. The board had voted reluctantly last month to close them, saying it had neither the money or the staff. There are five trout hatcheries in the state.

With the state under hiring freeze, the small agency has lost 37 people – about a quarter of its work force – to early retirement.