Senate Bill sb0480

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 480

    By Senator Cowin





    20-231A-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to vessel licenses; amending s.

  3         372.09, F.S.; providing that revenues from

  4         freshwater fishing vessel licenses be deposited

  5         into the State Game Trust Fund; amending s.

  6         372.57, F.S.; creating fishing vessel licenses

  7         for persons taking freshwater fish or carrying

  8         customers for the purpose of taking freshwater

  9         fish; providing for license fees; reenacting s.

10         372.562(2)(i) and (j), F.S., relating to

11         certain exemptions from a requirement that a

12         person obtain a fishing license or permit, to

13         incorporate the amendment to s. 372.57, F.S.,

14         in references thereto; providing an effective

15         date.

16  

17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

18  

19         Section 1.  Section 372.09, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         372.09  State Game Trust Fund.--The funds resulting

22  from the operation of the commission and from the

23  administration of the laws and regulations pertaining to

24  birds, game, fur-bearing animals, freshwater fish, reptiles,

25  and amphibians, including funds resulting from the sale of

26  freshwater vessel licenses, together with any other funds

27  specifically provided for such purposes shall constitute the

28  State Game Trust Fund and shall be used by the commission as

29  it shall deem fit in carrying out the provisions hereof and

30  for no other purposes.  The commission may not obligate itself

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 480
    20-231A-04




 1  beyond the current resources of the State Game Trust Fund

 2  unless specifically so authorized by the Legislature.

 3         Section 2.  Subsection (7) of section 372.57, Florida

 4  Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         372.57  Recreational licenses, permits, and

 6  authorization numbers; fees established.--

 7         (7)  VESSEL LICENSES.--

 8         (a)  A No person may not operate any vessel wherein a

 9  fee is paid, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of

10  taking, attempting to take, or possessing any saltwater or

11  freshwater fish for noncommercial purposes unless she or he

12  has obtained a license for each vessel for that purpose, and

13  has paid the license fee pursuant to paragraph paragraphs (b),

14  and paragraph (c), or paragraph (d) for such vessel.

15         (b)  A license for any person who operates any vessel

16  licensed to carry more than 10 customers, wherein a fee is

17  paid, either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of taking

18  or attempting to take saltwater or freshwater fish, is $800

19  per year. The license must be kept aboard the vessel at all

20  times.

21         (c)1.  A license for any person who operates any vessel

22  licensed to carry no more than 10 customers, or for any person

23  licensed to operate any vessel carrying 6 or fewer customers,

24  wherein a fee is paid, either directly or indirectly, for the

25  purpose of taking or attempting to take saltwater or

26  freshwater fish, is $400 per year.

27         2.  A license for any person licensed to operate any

28  vessel carrying 6 or fewer customers but who operates a vessel

29  carrying 4 or fewer customers, wherein a fee is paid, either

30  directly or indirectly, for the purpose of taking or

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 480
    20-231A-04




 1  attempting to take saltwater or freshwater fish, is $200 per

 2  year. The license must be kept aboard the vessel at all times.

 3         3.  A person who operates a vessel required to be

 4  licensed pursuant to paragraph (b), or this paragraph, or

 5  paragraph (d) may obtain a license in her or his own name, and

 6  such license shall be transferable and apply to any vessel

 7  operated by the purchaser, provided that the purchaser has

 8  paid the appropriate license fee.

 9         (d)  A license for any person who operates any vessel

10  licensed to carry any number of passengers, wherein a fee is

11  paid, either directly or indirectly, for the sole purpose of

12  catching and releasing freshwater fish, is $150 per year. The

13  license must be kept aboard the vessel at all times.

14         (e)(d)  A license for a recreational vessel not for

15  hire and for which no fee is paid, either directly or

16  indirectly, by guests for the purpose of taking or attempting

17  to take saltwater or freshwater fish noncommercially is $2,000

18  per year.  The license may be purchased at the option of the

19  vessel owner and must be kept aboard the vessel at all times.

20  A log of species taken and the date the species were taken

21  shall be maintained and a copy of the log filed with the

22  commission at the time of renewal of the license.

23         (f)(e)  The owner, operator, or custodian of a vessel

24  the operator of which has been licensed pursuant to paragraph

25  (a) must maintain and report such statistical data as required

26  by, and in a manner set forth in, the rules of the commission.

27         Section 3.  For the purpose of incorporating the

28  amendment made by this act to section 372.57, Florida

29  Statutes, in references thereto, paragraphs (i) and (j) of

30  subsection (2) of section 372.562, Florida Statutes, are

31  reenacted to read:

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 480
    20-231A-04




 1         372.562  Recreational licenses and permits; exemptions

 2  from fees and requirements.--

 3         (2)  A hunting, freshwater fishing, or saltwater

 4  fishing license or permit is not required for:

 5         (i)  Any person fishing from a vessel licensed pursuant

 6  to s. 372.57(7).

 7         (j)  Any person fishing from a vessel the operator of

 8  which is licensed pursuant to s. 372.57(7).

 9         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

10  

11            *****************************************

12                          SENATE SUMMARY

13    Requires that persons operating a vessel to take
      freshwater fish or carrying customers for that purpose
14    obtain certain vessel licenses. Provides that revenues
      from freshwater fishing vessel license be deposited into
15    the State Game Trust Fund.

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