FISHING LICENSES & POSSESSION LIMITS

House Bill 5481 as enrolled

Public Act 30 of 2010

Sponsor:  Rep. Goeff Hansen

House Bill 5662 as enrolled

Public Act 29 of 2010

Sponsor:  Rep. Joel Sheltrown

House Committee:  Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources

Senate Committee:  Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation

Complete to 2-8-11

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5481 & 5662 AS ENROLLED  

The bills amended fishing license fee and fish possession limit provisions in Parts 435 (Hunting and Fishing Licensing) and 487 (Sport Fishing) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA).  Each bill was tie-barred to the other.

House Bill 5481 amended Part 487 of NREPA to do the following things, effective April 1, 2011:

·                    Delete existing species-specific daily taking and possession limits, and require the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to issue an order establishing fish possession limits.

·                    Prohibit a person from exceeding daily possession limits where the fish were taken and while en route to his or her means of land transportation, residence, or temporary lodging place.  In other words, these are the places where the possession limits apply. 

·                    Allow a person to possess, in addition to the daily limit, an additional two days' worth of processed fish canned in a sealed container, cured by smoking or drying, or frozen in a solid state. 

House Bill 5662 amended Part 435 (Hunting and Fishing Licensing) of NREPA to do the following things, effective March 26, 2010:

·                    Prohibit a person with a restricted fishing license from taking lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles, and crustaceans, in addition to trout and salmon.  (Before the bill took effect, trout and salmon were the only aquatic species that could not be taken with a restricted fishing license. The fee for a restricted fishing license remained the same:  $15 for residents, $34 for nonresidents.)  

·                    Beginning in 2010, allow a person to purchase a 72-hour all-species fishing license for a license fee of $21 ($9 for senior citizens).  The bill retained the existing license fee for a 24-hour license of $7 ($3 for senior citizens. 

·                    Change the term "take" (or similar words) to "take or possess" in several places. 

FISCAL IMPACT:

House Bill 5662

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the amount of revenue collected from fishing licenses by the Department of Natural Resources.  The amount of fiscal impact would depend upon the number of new 72-hour fishing licenses sold and any changes to the number of other types of licenses sold. 

Revenue from the sale of fishing licenses is deposited into the Game and Fish Fund which provides financial support for statewide hunting and fishing programs.  In FY 2008-09, the Game and Fish Protection Fund received $18.7 million from the sale of fishing and hunting licenses.

The bill provides for the sale of a new 72-hour all species license.  The current price for a 24-hour all species license is $7.00 for residents and nonresidents ($3.00 for seniors).  Over the past five years, there has been an average of 42,000 resident and 169,000 nonresident daily fishing licenses sold each year (not including charter boat sales). 

The current price for an all species annual fishing license is $28.00 for residents ($11.20 for seniors) and $42.00 for nonresidents.  Over the past five years, there has been an average of approximately 371,000 resident and 32,000 nonresident all species fishing licenses sold.

House Bill 5481

The bill would allow an individual to possess two additional days' worth of processed fish if canned, cured, or frozen.   The bill does not change the license fee schedule and would have no significant fiscal impact on the Department of Natural Resources.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Shannan Kane

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Viola Bay Wild

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.