Budget Cuts: Motorboat Fuel Taxes -

SEC. 72 – CONSERVATION FUND/FISHERIES ACCOUNT REVENUE

For FY 2002-03, the bill reduces by $1 million, from $3 million to $2 million, the amount of tax revenue generated from the sale of motor fuel by distributors to boatyards, marinas, and other such facilities that must be transferred to the Conservation Fund. It reduces the allocation to the fisheries account within the fund by $1.05 million, from $2.05 million to $1 million. For FY 2003-04 and thereafter, the bill restores the annual $3 million revenue transfer to the fund and increases the required allocation to the fisheries account to $2 million. The bill eliminates a $75,000 fisheries account allocation to the Department of Economic and Community Development for an economic study of the lobster industry in Long Island Sound and a minimum $850,000 fisheries account allocation to Department of Environmental Protection to enhance recreational fishing. EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage. The bill also cut a $1 million petroleum fuel tax allocation.

DEP expects the fee increase portion (Secs 84-101) to generate $1.3 million ($750K by Ofc Fiscal Analysis) EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2003. In round numbers, cuts equal $ 2 million, fee revenues equal $1 million - Net loss to DEP = $1 million. These cuts are primarily Fishing money, but all Bureau of Nat Resources elements will suffer. Few layoffs are expected.

SECS. 84–101 – DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FEE INCREASES

The bill increases a wide range of fish and wildlife license and permit fees, including those for sport hunting and fishing and various types of commercial fishing as shown in Table 5.

Table 5: Current and Proposed Fees

*Bill Section*	*License or Permit*	*Current* *Law*	*The Bill*
84	Resident firearms hunting	$10	$14
84	Resident fishing	15	20
84	Resident combination firearms hunting and fishing	21	28
84	Resident trapping	20	25
84	Nonresident firearms hunting	42	67
84	Nonresident fishing	25	40
84	Nonresident fishing for three consecutive days	8	16
84	Nonresident combination firearms hunting and fishing	55	88
85	Duplicate license to hunt, hunt and trap, or fish	5	7
86	Hunt fox or rabbits with organized pack of 10 or more hounds	25	35
87	Game breeder's license	15	21
88	Raw fur buyer - resident or nonresident	30	42
88	Resident raw fur buyer's authorized agent	20	28
89	Bait dealer	20	50
90	Nuisance wildlife controller	100	200
91	Regulated private shooting preserve	35	50
92	Turkey permit, tag, or stamp	10	14
92	Migratory game bird permit, tag, or stamp	2	3
92	Pheasant permit, tag, or stamp	10	14
92	Salmon permit, tag, or stamp	20	28
92	Wild turkey hunting permit	10	14
93	Hunting dog training permit	10	14
94	Field dog trial permit	5	7
95	Field dog trial where game will be shot On state-owned land On private land	20 10	28 14
96	Taxidermy	60	84
97	Collect shellfish, crustaceans, and wildlife for scientific and educational purposes	10	20
98	Deer hunting with firearm Resident Nonresident	10 30	14 50
99	Deer or small game hunting with bow and arrow Resident Nonresident	22 44	30 100
100	Remove fish from private waters	50	70
101	Commercial blue crab	50	75
101	Take lobsters for personal use	50	60
101	Take lobsters, crabs (other than blue crabs), squid, sea scallops, and finfish by use of more than 10 lobster pots; by otter, balloon, or beam trawl; by sea scallop dredge; or similar device Resident Nonresident	150 225	225 1,250
101	Register each pound net to take finfish	100	225
101	Resident (1) taking finfish other than shad or bait species by various devices for commercial purposes; (2) in any waters seaward of the inland demarcation line, taking such fish by hook or line for commercial purposes; or (3) taking horseshoe crabs by hand	50	150
101	Resident taking any fish for commercial purposes by hook and line in excess of creel limit	100	300
101	Take bait species by various means in the inland or marine district for commercial purposes	20	50
101	Buy finfish, lobsters, crabs, sea scallops, squid, or bait species from commercial fishermen for resale	25	200
101	Fishing party boat, head boat, charter boat registration	25	250
101	Land finfish, lobsters, crabs, sea scallops, squid, or bait species	225	400

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2003

SECS. 102 & 131 – HUNTING AND FISHING GUIDE LICENSES

The bill eliminates licenses for hunting and fishing guides and their authorized assistants. The fees are $100 for a guide’s license and $50 for an assistant’s license. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2003