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Committee wrestles with change to fish pond permit regulations
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COMMITTEE WRESTLES WITH CHANGE TO FISH POND PERMIT REGULATIONS

 * Brett French
 * Sep 16, 2024
 * Sep 16, 2024
 * 0

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Young people are becoming a rare sight in the aging and shrinking commercial
fishing industry. The high cost of entry for access rights and equipment and the
increasing unpredictability of fish stocks due to human-caused climate change
deters many people from starting a long term career in t…


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Raising the fees for private fish pond permits, and halving the life of the
permit from 10 years to five before it must be renewed, are two of the proposals
considered for legislation being crafted by the Water Policy Interim Committee.

In its draft form, still under revision, the bill would increase the cost of a
private fish pond license renewal from $10 for 10 years to $250 with renewal
required in five years. New fish pond licenses would cost $600. The increased
costs are designed to help Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks cover its expenses for
inspections and paperwork.



According to FWP, the department’s total cost to administer pond permits in 2023
was more than $67,700 with permitting fees covering about $2,400 of that
expense. The number of new or renewed pond permits every year averages about
200.


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Since 1945, when permits were first required by law, FWP has approved more than
10,000 private fish ponds across the state. The region with the most requests
for fish ponds is Region 3, in southwest Montana, a place that includes such
heralded trout streams as the Madison River. It’s also one of the richest and
fastest growing regions in the state, averaging 70 permit requests a year. The
next closest is Region 4 in central Montana which is averaging 50 permits a
year.



If trends continue, the department predicts administration costs rising
substantially over the next 10 years to more than $677,000.

The Water Policy Interim Committee’s discussion over revising the existing
statutes was directed by the last Legislature which passed House Bill 520.

Fish ponds face changes to their licensing and renewal fees under a draft bill
being revised by the Water Policy Interim Committee.

LARRY MAYER, Billings Gazette


OPPOSED



The 7-3 vote on Sept. 12 to continue modifying the draft legislation was most
stridently opposed by Rep. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, a member of the right-leaning
Montana Freedom Caucus.




“It bothers me that, with the way our economy is, that we want more money from
these people that don’t have any money,” Phelan said.

He also objected to giving FWP rulemaking authority to adapt as conditions
change. Phelan said the state already has too many rules.



Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena,

Photo Courtesy of Montana Legislature

Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, countered that the whole point of the
committee addressing the issue was to move away from the department using fees
from hunters and anglers to subsidize the cost of private fish ponds.

“So if you want to have … a fish pond and you want to stock it, you have to take
some responsibility for the fact that there are costs associated with having
that,” she said. “The department came to us and told us that the cost to provide
this service is $1,200 for the licensure.”





WATER THREATS

Cohenour also defended changing the renewal of the permit from 10 to five years
due to the ever-evolving threats to waterways from aquatic invasive species and
other pathogens.



Sen. Jeff Welborn, R-Dillon, agreed, saying although he values property rights,
he’s also concerned about a neighbor accidentally introducing an invasive
species that affects everyone else downstream.

“I think that's one of the big things at front and center of this discussion,”
he said. “I think this proposal does a pretty good job of trying to address some
of that.”



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Sen. Willis Curdy, D-Missoula, reminded the committee that it was only seven
years ago that the threat of aquatic invasive species first knocked on Montana’s
door, prompting extensive efforts and investments into trying to prevent their
spread. He also noted it wasn’t that long ago that FWP was facing a funding
shortage that led to an increase in hunting and fishing license fees.





PLACEHOLDER

Welborn took issue with a five-year renewal process, calling it “onerous.”

Clayton Elliott, of Montana Trout Unlimited, helped write the draft bill
reforms. He said he chose the five-year renewal period to lessen the cost to
permittees, since FWP said the cost of processing a permit was about $1,200. By
cutting the renewal period in half, he chose to cut the cost in half to reduce
“sticker shock.”



Elliott said the fee was a placeholder in the draft bill and the committee
shouldn’t feel beholden to the numbers but instead choose a fee and time period
they are comfortable with.


POND COMPLAINT



Former Montana legislator and Lewistown-area ranch Larry Grinde told the
committee he’s held off on restocking a livestock pond with fish because of the
additional $600 fee the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation charges
for changing his water-use permit.



Grinde said his father first stocked the livestock pond decades ago.

“I'm buying the fish, putting them in my own pond, and yet I'm going to be
charged 600 bucks to make this happen to me?” he questioned.

He also speculated that because of the cost, some pond owners will simply
circumvent the fee by transferring fish from someone else’s pond.

Elliott reminded Grinde that transferring live fish from one water source to
another is a state crime.




Elliott also explained to the committee that water rights are attached to the
usage, which may be residential, livestock, irrigation or for a fish pond —
which is considered a beneficial use. Under state law, the landowner is required
to have a water right for the specific usage, hence DNRC's charge.

Yet Sen. Bruce Gillespie, R-Ethridge, agreed with Grinde.



"You already got the stock ponds, and I think it is unfair that you have to pay
a fee to continue doing what you're doing, which you've always done, because
there's no change in the water,” he said.

Gillespie said the issue would be different if a pond drained into a public
waterway, but that wasn’t the case for Grinde’s spring-fed livestock ponds.



Gillespie joined Phelan and Rep. Marty Malone, R-Pray, in opposing advancing the
draft bill revisions.

Committee chairman, Rep. Ken Walsh, R-Twin Bridges, noted no matter what the
committee decides for a final bill draft, once it enters the Legislature
everything could change.



“I appreciate everybody’s comments,” he said. “And again, regardless, day one
the bill could change a lot.”

The next meeting of the committee has not been scheduled.


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Fish ponds face changes to their licensing and renewal fees under a draft bill
being revised by the Water Policy Interim Committee.

 * LARRY MAYER, Billings Gazette

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Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena,

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Fish ponds face changes to their licensing and renewal fees under a draft bill
being revised by the Water Policy Interim Committee.

 * LARRY MAYER, Billings Gazette

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Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena,

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