Revision: Jan. 31, 2025, 1:04 p.m.
SB 32 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
01/30/2025 0014s
2025 SESSION
25-0368
08/06
SENATE BILL 32
AN ACT relative to the fish and game commission.
SPONSORS: Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Allows public hearing notices to be posted digitally on newspaper websites.
II. Allows the shooting of injured or crippled waterfowl from a motorized watercraft.
III. Removes the word "brook" from the reference to trout in the method and manner of taking fish.
IV. Enables the executive director of fish and game to set the fisheries habitat fee in rules.
V. Repeals the Connecticut River Atlantic salmon commission.
This bill is a request of the fish and game department.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
01/30/2025 0014s 25-0368
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to the fish and game commission.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Hearings to Receive Suggestions from the Public; Digital Hearing Notices Allowed. Amend RSA 206:11 to read as follows:
206:11 Hearings to Receive Suggestions from the Public. Once each biennium, in the odd-numbered year, the executive director shall hold public hearings to hear suggestions from the public on changes in the fishing rules or on any other subject with respect to [his] their duties. Such hearing shall be held in Concord and in Lancaster. Public notice of said hearings shall be published at least twice in 2 newspapers having general circulation throughout the state, and in such other newspapers, magazines, or circulars as the executive director may deem desirable. Public notice of said hearings may be published on the newspaper's website, and linked to the fish and game website. It shall be the duty of the members of the commission to be in attendance at such hearings. The executive director may in [his] their discretion conduct other public or private hearings throughout the year upon petition of interested parties. At the biennial hearings held at Concord and Lancaster and at other public hearings that the executive director shall hold in accordance with the provisions of this section, any person having any testimony to present which bears upon the power and authority of the executive director under the provisions of this title shall be given full opportunity to be heard, and the executive director shall cause a complete record to be kept of all testimony taken.
2 New Paragraph; Methods of Taking; Hunting from Motor Vehicle, OHRV, Snowmobile, Boat, or Aircraft. Amend RSA 207:7 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. The provisions of this section shall not apply shooting of injured or crippled waterfowl from a motorized watercraft.
3 Nets; Traps. Amend RSA 211:9 to read as follows:
211:9 Nets; Traps. A dip net held in hand may be used to assist in the taking of fish attached to a hook. A circular drop net, not more than 48 inches in diameter, or a square net of equal area, may be used for taking minnows for bait, from waters not inhabited by [brook] trout. Minnow traps may be set for taking minnows for bait, in water inhabited by trout, provided that no such trap shall exceed 18 inches in length, and that the aperture therein for the entrance of fish shall not exceed one inch in diameter.
4 Fisheries Habitat Fee; Established in Rule. Amend RSA 214:1-g, I to read as follows:
I. A [one dollar] fisheries habitat fee, which shall be set in rules adopted by the executive director in accordance with RSA 541-A, shall be required to be paid by all persons 16 years of age or older, in addition to each applicable fishing or combination license required by Title XVIII, in order to take fish in the fresh waters of this state. This paragraph shall not apply to any person who takes fish under a complimentary license, excluding any administrative fee, issued pursuant to RSA 214:3, RSA 214:7-a, RSA 214:13, RSA 214:13-b, or RSA 214:13-c, or a lifetime license issued pursuant to RSA 214:9-c that was purchased in a prior calendar year.
5 Repeal. RSA 213-A, relative to the Connecticut River Atlantic salmon commission, is repealed.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.