Fishing task force.

20LSO-0195
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0195
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0055

Fishing task force.

Sponsored by: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to game and fish; creating the fishing task force; authorizing consulting services; authorizing agreements with other agencies; requiring a report; providing appropriations; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

(a)

There is created the
fishing
task force consisting of:

(i) Five (5) members with professional fishing guide experience from river basins across Wyoming, none of whom shall be from the same county, appointed by the governor;

(ii) One (1) member who shall be the director of the Wyoming game and fish department or the director's designee;

(iii)

One (1) member of the senate appointed by the president of the senate;

(iv)

One (1) member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(v) One (1) member from the Wyoming state board of outfitters and professional guides appointed by the governor;

(vi) Two (2) members of the licensed fishing public appointed by the governor.

(b) The governor shall appoint co-chairs for the task force.

(c)

The task force shall study the impact of commercial and public fishing on the quality of the fisheries in Wyoming's major river basins, including analysis of social and biological impacts of fishing. To accomplishing its duties under this section, the task force shall consult with federal land management agencies that regulate or permit fishing in Wyoming. The task force shall:

(i)

Examine historic usage in each river basin and identify which stretches of rivers are experiencing the largest increases in traffic;

(ii) Examine each river basin and identify perceived overcrowding issues on stretches of rivers. For
each stretch of river identified as having perceived overcrowding, the task force shall:

(A) Identify potential solutions to the overcrowding of the stretch of river;

(B)

Study current, historic and increases in usage of the stretch of the river.

(iii) Identify which stretches of rivers are currently regulated or permitted with regard to commercial fishing, including:

(A) The nature of the regulations or permits;

(B) Which federal, state or local agency enacts and enforces the regulations or issues and enforces the permits;

(C) Any enforcement issues related to the regulations or permits.

(iv) Identify which stretches of rivers are currently not regulated or permitted with regard to commercial fishing;

(v) Identify whether access to the stretches of rivers at Wyoming office of state lands and investments or Wyoming game and fish department access points may be regulated or permitted with regard to the number of commercial fishing parties allowed within a specified time frame;

(vi) Identify other uses extrinsic to fishing and habitat conditions that may result in future regulation of fishing or stretches of rivers;

(vii)

Recommend solutions to areas of concern identified in paragraphs (i) through (vi) of this subsection and identify the costs to incorporate those solutions.

(d) To facilitate the task force in accomplishing its duties under this section, the Wyoming game and fish department may enter into agreements:

(i) With any federal land management agency that regulates or permits commercial fishing in Wyoming to allow for consultation on regulation and permitting of commercial fishing trips and on enforcement of commercial fishing regulation and permits;

(ii) With the Wyoming office of state lands and investments to:

(A) Inventory state land access points to stretches of river used for commercial and public fishing;

(B) Inventory all usage of access points to stretches of river as compared to permitted use; and

(C) Collaborate on a plan to create a permitting process that controls the number of commercial
fishing trips on stretches of rivers that the task force identifies as warranting regulation or restriction.

(e)

The task force shall report its findings and any recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee and the governor on or before October 10, 2021. The joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee shall review the report and any recommended legislation for potential sponsorship during the 2022 session of the legislature. The task force shall cease to exist on December 31, 2021.

(f)

Subject to available funding, the task force may recommend to the governor retention of consultants as necessary to fulfill its duties under this section. State agencies shall provide information and assistance to the task force as requested by the task force.

(g) The task force shall be staffed by the Wyoming game and fish department. The legislative members of the task force shall be paid salary, per diem and mileage
expenses in the manner and amount prescribed by W.S. 28
‑
5
‑
101 and 28
‑
5
‑
102. Members of the task force who are state employees shall be considered on official business of their agency or office and shall receive mileage and per diem in the manner provided by their agency or office. Any other member of the task force shall not receive salary but shall receive mileage and per diem at the same rate as members of the Wyoming legislature under W.S. 28
‑
5
‑
101 and 28-5-102 for each day of actual task force meetings and travel to those meetings.

Section 2.

(a)

There is appropriated one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000.00) from the general fund to the Wyoming game and fish department. This appropriation shall only be expended to pay mileage and per diem for nonlegislative members of the task force, to pay for any consultant as approved by the governor and to pay any other costs related to the implementation of this act.

(b)

There is appropriated ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) from the general fund to the legislative service office. This appropriation shall only be expended for salary, mileage and per diem of legislative members appointed to the task force.

(c) Funds appropriated under this section shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending December 31, 2021. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the appropriations in this section shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from these appropriations shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2022.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution
.

(END)

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HB0055