Beginning January 1, 2006, the department may not issue a complimentary license to a resident over 70 years of age. A complimentary license issued to a resident over 70 years of age prior to January 1, 2006 is valid as long as the holder of the license satisfies the residency requirements set out in section 7001, subsection 32.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §7076, sub-§10, as amended by PL 1993, c. 419, §4, is further amended to read:

10. Childrens camps. Upon application, the commissioner shall issue to a boys' boys or girls' girls camp a camp fishing license which that will permit any of the boys or girls, under 16 years of age, to fish in the lake or pond adjacent to the main camp. The fee for this permit is $75.

A. The fees for this license are as follows:

1993 1994 1995 1996

and

after

Camps with an

enrollment of

fewer than 50

campers $44 $46 $47 $48

Camps with an

enrollment of

50 to 75 campers $69 $71 $72 $73

Camps with an

enrollment of

more than 75

campers $100 $102 $103 $104

B. Persons who fish under a camp fishing license, as provided in this subsection, shall be subject to chapters 701 to 721.

Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §7101, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1999, c. 321, §5 and c. 467, §1 and affected by §5, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

5.__Schedule of fees.__The schedule of fees is as follows:

2002 2003

and

after

A.__Resident junior hunting

license (10 years of age or

older and under 16 years of age) $5 $5

B.__Resident deer hunting license

(16 years of age or older)

(Permits hunting of all legal

species when accompanied by

required permits) $19 $28

C.__Resident hunting license

(16 years of age or older)

(Permits hunting of all legal

species, except deer, when

accompanied by required permits) $12 $17

D.__Resident combination

hunting and fishing

license $36

F.__Resident combination archery

hunting and fishing

license $36

G.__Nonresident junior hunting

license (10 years of age or

older and under 16 years of age) $25 $25

H.__Nonresident

hunting license (Permits hunting

of all legal species, except deer,

when accompanied by required

permits) $55

H-1.__Nonresident 3-day

small game hunting license,

valid for 3 consecutive

hunting days (Permits

hunting of all legal

species except deer,

bear, turkey, moose,

raccoon and bobcat)

(Valid for the 72-hour

period specified on the

license) $30

I.__Nonresident deer hunting

license (Permits hunting of all

species when accompanied by

required permits) $85 $100

J.__Nonresident combination

hunting and fishing

license $123 $140

K.__Alien hunting license

(Permits hunting of all

species, except deer, when

accompanied by required permits) $70 $80

L.__Alien deer hunting

license (Permits hunting of all

species) $125

M.__Alien combination hunting

and fishing license $176 $196

N.__License to use

leashed dogs to track

wounded deer (Permits a

person to use one or more

leashed dogs to track a

lawfully wounded deer) $25 $25

Sec. 7. 12 MRSA §7102-A, sub-§4, as repealed and replaced by PL 1995, c. 455, §7 and affected by §45, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

4.__Schedule of fees.__The schedule of fees is as follows:

2002 2003

and

after

A.__Resident archery

license $19

B.__Resident combination

archery hunting and fishing

license $36

C.__Nonresident archery

license $55

D.__Alien archery license $70 $100

Sec. 8. 12 MRSA §7107-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1993, c. 574, §12, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

3.__Schedule of fees.__The schedule of fees is as follows:

2002 2003

and

after

A.__Resident muzzle-loading

hunting license $11 $16

B.__Nonresident muzzle-

loading hunting license $33 $43

C.__Alien muzzle-loading

hunting license $58 $68

Sec. 9. 12 MRSA §7108, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1995, c. 667, Pt. A, §22, is further amended to read:

1. Eligibility. Any person who possesses a valid hunting license is eligible to obtain a permit from the commissioner to hunt coyotes at night, except that a permit may not be issued to any person who has been convicted of a violation of section 7406, subsection 5 within 5 years of the date of application for the permit.

Sec. 10. 12 MRSA §7108, sub-§2, as reenacted by PL 1985, c. 819, Pt. B, §5, is repealed.

Sec. 11. 12 MRSA §7109, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 887, Pt. L, §2, is amended to read:

2. Fee. The fee for a migratory waterfowl hunting permit shall be $2.50 is $5, 25¢ of which shall must be retained by the agent.

Sec. 12. 12 MRSA §7110, as amended by PL 1999, c. 220, §4, is repealed.

Sec. 13. 12 MRSA §7151, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1999, c. 321, §6, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

5.__Schedule of fees.__The fees for fishing licenses are as follows:

2002 2003

and

after

A.__Resident fishing license

(16 years of age or older) $19 $28

B.__Resident combination

hunting and fishing license $36 $45

C.__Resident combination

archery hunting and fishing

license $36

D.__Junior nonresident fishing

license (12 years of age or

older and under 16 years of age) $7 $7

E.__Three-day fishing license

(Resident or nonresident)

(Valid for the 72-hour

period specified on the

license) $21

F.__Nonresident 7-day fishing

license (Valid for 7 days from

date indicated on license) $34 $35

G.__Nonresident 15-day fishing

license (Valid for 15 days

from date indicated on

license) $38

H.__Nonresident season fishing

license (16 years of age

or older) $50

I.__Alien season fishing license

(16 years of age or older) $70 $80

J.__One-day fishing license

(Resident or nonresident)

(Valid for the 24-hour

period indicated on

license) $9

K.__Beginning January 1, 2003,

one-day family fishing license

(Resident or nonresident)

(Allows up to 4 members

of the same household to fish

for all legal species) $30

Sec. 14. 12 MRSA §7154, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 1995, c. 455, §12, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

3.__Fee.__The fee for a bass tournament permit is:

C.__For weigh-in tournaments, $50 per day; and

D.__For catch and release tournaments, $10 per day.

Sec. 15. 12 MRSA §7161, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 351, §3, is amended to read:

E. For a resident 70 years of age or older. A person who holds a valid senior lifetime license under this section upon turning 70 years of age may obtain at no cost a hunting license, fishing license, trapping license, archery license under section 7102-A or 7102-B, a pheasant hunting permit under section 7106-B, a muzzle-loading hunting license under section 7107-A, a migratory waterfowl permit under section 7109, a bear hunting permit under section 7110 7451, subsection 5 and renew a guide license under section 7311. A person who is 70 years of age or older may purchase a senior lifetime license that entitles the holder to all the privileges described in this paragraph for a one-time $8 fee.

Sec. 16. 12 MRSA §7311, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1993, c. 419, §21, is further amended to read:

3. Fee. The fee for a 3-year guide license is $75 for 1993, $77 for 1994, $78 for 1995 and $79 for 1996 and every year thereafter $240.

Sec. 17. 12 MRSA §7366, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1997, c. 432, §38, is further amended to read:

4. Fee. The fee for an examination is $100 and is not refundable. An applicant may retake the examination once without paying an additional examination fee. Beginning in 1997, a whitewater guide license is a 3-year license. The fee for a 3- year license is $87 $80 per year and may be purchased to cover a one-year, 2-year or 3-year period.

Sec. 18. 12 MRSA §7451, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1997, c. 463, §1, is further amended to read:

4. Bear tags. The commissioner shall prescribe the form and content of a bear tag and shall produce a bear tag that is part of a big game hunting license issued for calendar year 1998 and thereafter the bear hunting permit described in subsection 5.

Sec. 19. 12 MRSA §7451, sub-§5 is enacted to read:

5.__Bear hunting permit.__A permit is required to hunt for bear during the open bear hunting seasons described in subsection 1, paragraphs A and C.

A.__A person who possesses a valid Maine hunting license is eligible to obtain a bear hunting permit from the commissioner.

B.__The fee for a bear hunting permit is $25 for residents and $100 for nonresidents and aliens.

Sec. 20. 12 MRSA §7457, sub-§1, ¶H, as amended by PL 1999, c. 323, §1 and affected by §3, is further amended to read:

H. The commissioner may regulate the taking of antlerless deer within any area of the State, as necessary, to maintain deer populations in balance with available habitat if the following conditions are met.

(1) The demarcation of each area must follow recognizable physical boundaries such as rivers, roads and railroad rights-of-way.

(2) The determination must be made and published prior to August 1st of each year.

(3) The nonrefundable application fee for a permit to take an antlerless deer may not exceed $1 is $5. The application must include a detachable portion on which the applicant shall write the applicant's name and address and to which the applicant shall affix a stamp of adequate postage. The department shall return this portion of the application to the applicant in acknowledgement of the department's determine the method of acknowledging receipt of the application.

(4) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary for the administration, implementation, enforcement and interpretation of this subsection, except that there may not be an antlerless deer permit system unless otherwise specified in this paragraph. Any rules adopted by the commissioner that provide for permits to be issued to nonresident or alien hunters must provide that:

(a) The percentage of antlerless deer permits issued to nonresident and alien hunters may not exceed the average percentage of applicants for antlerless deer permits over the previous 3 years who were nonresidents or aliens; and

(b) No more than 15% of the antlerless deer permits issued in any one district or in any one zone may be issued to nonresident and alien hunters.

(5) An antlerless deer permit system adopted by the commissioner pursuant to this section may include a provision giving special consideration to landowners who keep their lands open to hunting by the public. Any 2 or more areas of land owned by the same person that are open for hunting and that would be contiguous except for being divided by one or more roads are considered contiguous for the purposes of determining landowner eligibility for special consideration under this subparagraph.

A junior hunter or a person 65 years of age or older may take an antlerless deer, if an adult who holds a valid antlerless deer permit transfers the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older by identifying the name, age and address of the transferee on the permit as well as any other information reasonably requested by the commissioner and then returns the permit to the department prior to the start of the firearm season on deer. The commissioner shall record the transfer and return the permit

to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older. A valid permit must be in the possession of the transferee to take an antlerless deer. If the adult transfers the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older, that adult is prohibited from taking an antlerless deer.

Sec. 21. 12 MRSA §7463-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2001, c. 387, §24, is further amended to read:

4. Hunting permits. In accordance with the provisions of subsections 1-A and 2-B, the commissioner may issue moose hunting permits and may establish the number of moose hunting permits to be issued for each wildlife management district established by the commissioner by rule open to moose hunting. No more than 10% of the moose hunting permits may be issued to nonresident and alien hunters. A person whose application is selected may purchase a moose hunting permit upon presentation of proof that the person possesses:

A. A valid Maine hunting license, if the person is a resident of the State; or

B. A valid Maine big game hunting license, if the person is a nonresident or alien.

The fee for a moose hunting permit is $29 $100 for residents and $300 $500 for nonresidents and aliens. While hunting moose, each nonresident or alien hunter, both permittee and subpermittee, must be in possession of a valid Maine nonresident or alien big game hunting license, whichever is applicable.

Sec. 22. 12 MRSA §7468, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2001, c. 6, §1, is further amended to read:

4. Hunting permits. The commissioner may establish the number of wild turkey permits for each wild turkey hunting zone and may issue those permits annually. The percentage of total wild turkey permits issued to nonresident and alien hunters may not exceed the average percentage of applicants for wild turkey permits over the previous 3 years who were nonresidents and aliens and may not be more than 10% of the total wild turkey permits issued statewide. The fee for each permit issued to residents is $10 in 2003 and every year thereafter and the fee for each permit issued to nonresidents is $40 in 2003 and every year thereafter. A person whose application is selected may obtain a wild turkey hunting permit upon presentation of proof that the person possesses: a valid Maine hunting license.

A. A valid Maine hunting license, if the person is a resident of the State; or

B. A valid Maine big game hunting license, if the person is a nonresident or alien.

An adult who holds a valid wild turkey permit may transfer the permit to a junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older by identifying the name, age and address of the transferee on the permit as well as any other information reasonably requested by the commissioner and then return the permit to the department prior to the start of the turkey season. The commissioner shall record the transfer and return the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older. A valid permit must be in the possession of the transferee to hunt turkey. If the adult transfers the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older, that adult is prohibited from hunting turkey.

Sec. 23. 12 MRSA §7794, sub-§4, ¶A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 24, Pt. I, §5, is further amended to read:

A. All watercraft requiring or requesting certificate of number and equipped with a motor having a manufacturer's horsepower rating of:

(1) Ten horsepower or less ...........$6 $8;

(2) Greater than 10, but not more than 50

horsepower............................$10 $12; and

(3) Greater than 50 horsepower ......$15 $17.

Sec. 24. 12 MRSA §7794, sub-§4, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 24, Pt. I, §6, is amended to read:

A-1. All personal watercraft requiring or requesting a

certificate of number..........................$20 $22.

Sec. 25. 12 MRSA §7794, sub-§4, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 294, §7, is amended to read:

E. Registration issued for an expanded registration period authorized in subsection 8, paragraph A:

(1) Ten horsepower or less..........$7.50 $10

(2) Greater than 10, but

not more than 50 horsepower.........$12.50 $15

(3) Greater than 50 horsepower.....$18.75 $21.25

(4) Personal watercraft............$25.00 $27.50

Sec. 26. 12 MRSA §7824, sub-§2, ¶¶A and B, as amended by PL 2001, c. 254, §1, are further amended to read:

A. For residents, $30 $32. The registration for a snowmobile owned by a resident is valid for one year, commencing on July 1st of each year; and

B. For nonresidents:

(1) Forty Forty-two dollars for a 3-consecutive day registration. A person may purchase more than one 3- day registration in any season;

(2) Fifty-five Fifty-seven dollars for a 10- consecutive day registration. A person may purchase more than one 10-day registration in any season; and

(3) Sixty-five Sixty-seven dollars for a seasonal registration.

The registration for a snowmobile owned by a nonresident must specify the dates for which the registration is valid.

Sec. 27. 12 MRSA §7854, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1985, c. 762, §8, is further amended to read:

3. Fee. The annual registration fee for an ATV is $12 $14.

SUMMARY

This bill increases various hunting and fishing license and permit fees. This bill also establishes a program that requires that the cost of providing general fish-related and wildlife- related benefits are equitably shared between the General Fund and license fees in recognition of the fish-related and wildlife- related opportunities and benefits people of the State receive as a result of the fees that hunters and anglers pay to preserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife resources of the State.