Each state gets their proportionate share of a 10% federal excise tax on fishing tackle. The amount is determined by the number of licenses sold in that state, so the more sales, the bigger the piece of the pie, and the total amount of land open to public fishing. That law is called the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act or commonly the Dingell-Johnson Act or Wallop-Breaux Act. This Act or a form of it has been around since the 1950's.
The money comes from a 10-percent excise tax on certain items of sport fishing tackle (Internal Revenue Code of 1954, sec. 4161), a 3-percent excise tax on fish finders and electric trolling motors, import duties on fishing tackle, yachts and pleasure craft, interest on the account, and a portion of motorboat fuel tax revenues and small engine fuel taxes. In 2009 that number was more than $740 million.
To be eligible to participate in the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration program, states are required to assent to this law and pass laws for the conservation of fish which include a prohibition against the diversion of license fees for any other purpose than the administration of the state fish department.
NY does get funds form the program, so either the law is being broken and the other states robbed by NY, or NY is in compliance.
Sport Fish Restoration Program - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation