Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7773-A is enacted to read:

§7773-A.__Sport fish restoration

1.__Fishing survey.__The department, in cooperation with the Department of Marine Resources, shall annually conduct a survey to determine the total number of people engaged in recreational fishing in the inland waters and the total number of people engaged in recreational fishing in the coastal waters.

2.__Federal funds allocation.__Using information received under subsection 1, the department shall proportionately distribute any funds received from the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration funds, 50 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 80.23, between saltwater and freshwater fisheries projects.

3.__Report.__The department, in cooperation with the Department of Marine Resources, shall annually by December 31st, submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resources matters on the result of the survey under subsection 1 and on the distribution of funds under subsection 2.

4.__Repeal.__This section is repealed January 1, 2009.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Department of Marine Resources, to conduct an annual survey of people fishing in the inland and coastal waters of the State and to use the survey results to equitably distribute federal funds between saltwater and freshwater fisheries projects. The bill also requires that a report on the results of the survey and the distribution of the federal grant funds be presented annually to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources.