Presenter: Larry McKinney

Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Action
Saltwater Sportfishing Stamp Surcharge
June 2000

I. Discussion: Under the provisions of Parks and Wildlife Code, §43.403 the Commission is granted authority to issue, and set the fee of a saltwater sportfishing stamp.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission was granted authority to establish license management programs for the commercial inshore shrimp, crab, and finfish fisheries. With this authority was also granted the ability to buy back voluntarily offered commercial fishing licenses in order to reduce fishing pressure. Consequently, a percentage of various commercial licenses was dedicated to this buyback fund. However, staff determined that the current level of funding would be inadequate to buy back sufficient licenses to meaningfully reduce fishing effort within the next decade.

Staff proposed a temporary fee increase on the saltwater sportfishing stamps. The funds obtained by this increase would make a significant contribution to accomplishing the agency’s limited entry objectives in as few as five years. This acceleration of commercial license buybacks would also allow staff to propose more moderate traditional regulation changes to the commercial shrimping community than would otherwise be required.

During the April 5, 2000 Regulations Committee meeting, the Committee granted permission to staff to publish the proposed saltwater sportfishing stamp surcharge of $3 for the 30-day public comment period.

II. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

"The Finance Committee recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt changes to 31 TAC §53.3 Finance as published in the April 28, 2000, issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 3655-3862).

Attachments - 2

  1. Exhibit A - Proposed Changes to Finance Proclamation
  2. Exhibit B - Fiscal Note (Available upon request)

Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit A

Proposed Change to Finance Proclamation

TITLE 31. NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
Part 2. TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Chapter 53. FINANCE
Subchapter A. LICENSE FEES AND BOAT AND MOTOR FEES

31 TAC §53.3

§53.3.Other Recreational Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Stamps, and Tags

(a)-(c) (No change.)

(d) Fishing licenses. The following license fee amounts are effective for the license year beginning September 1, 2000, and thereafter:

(1)-(2) (No change.)

(3) special resident fishing (type 203)—$6.00;

(4)-(9) (No change.)

(e) Fishing stamps. The following stamp fee amounts are effective for the license year beginning September 1, 2000, and thereafter , except for the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, which shall expire September 1, 2005 :

(1) saltwater sportfishing (type 211)—$7.00;

(2) saltwater sportfishing stamp surcharge, to be effective until September 1, 2005 - $3.00; and

(3) freshwater trout (type 212)—$7.00.

(f)-(g) (No change.)


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