1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; providing for the 
  1.3             acquisition of critical aquatic habitat; modifying 
  1.4             commercial netting provisions; permitting the 
  1.5             commissioner to take catfish in certain waters; 
  1.6             modifying minnow retailer provisions; modifying turtle 
  1.7             license provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.8             sections 86A.04; 97C.041; 97C.501, subdivision 1; and 
  1.9             97C.605, subdivisions 1 and 2; Minnesota Statutes 1997 
  1.10            Supplement, sections 97A.475, subdivision 30; and 
  1.11            97C.501, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law 
  1.12            in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 97C. 
  1.13  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.14     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 86A.04, is 
  1.15  amended to read: 
  1.16     86A.04 [COMPOSITION OF SYSTEM.] 
  1.17     The outdoor recreation system shall consist of all state 
  1.18  parks; state recreation areas; state trails established pursuant 
  1.19  to sections 84.029, subdivision 2, and 85.015; state scientific 
  1.20  and natural areas; state wilderness areas; state forests; state 
  1.21  wildlife management areas; state water access sites, which 
  1.22  include all lands and facilities established by the commissioner 
  1.23  of natural resources or the commissioner of transportation to 
  1.24  provide public access to water; state wild, scenic, and 
  1.25  recreational rivers; state historic sites; ~~and~~ state rest areas, 
  1.26  which include all facilities established by the commissioner of 
  1.27  transportation for the safety, rest, comfort and use of the 
  1.28  highway traveler, and shall include all existing facilities 
  1.29  designated as rest areas and waysides by the commissioner of 
  2.1   transportation; and any other units not enumerated herein that 
  2.2   are classified under section 86A.05.  Each individual state 
  2.3   park, state recreation area, and so forth is called a "unit." 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
  2.5   97A.475, subdivision 30, is amended to read: 
  2.6      Subd. 30.  [COMMERCIAL NETTING OF FISH.] The fees to take 
  2.7   commercial fish are: 
  2.8      (1) commercial license fees: 
  2.9      (i) for residents and nonresidents seining and netting in 
  2.10  inland waters, $90; 
  2.11     (ii) for residents netting in Lake Superior, $50; 
  2.12     (iii) for residents netting in Lake of the Woods, Rainy, 
  2.13  Namakan, and Sand Point lakes, $50; 
  2.14     (iv) for residents seining in the Mississippi River from St.
  2.15  Anthony Falls to the St. Croix River junction, $50; 
  2.16     (v) for residents seining, netting, and set lining in 
  2.17  Wisconsin boundary waters from Lake St. Croix to the Iowa 
  2.18  border, $50; and 
  2.19     (vi) for a resident apprentice license, $25; and 
  2.20     (2) commercial gear fees: 
  2.21     (i) for each gill net in Lake Superior, Wisconsin boundary 
  2.22  waters, and Namakan Lake, $3.50 per 100 feet of net; 
  2.23     (ii) for each seine in inland waters, on the Mississippi 
  2.24  River as described in section 97C.801, subdivision 2, and in 
  2.25  Wisconsin boundary waters, $7 per 100 feet; 
  2.26     (iii) for each commercial hoop net in inland waters, $1.25; 
  2.27     (iv) for each submerged fyke, trap, and hoop net in Lake 
  2.28  Superior, St. Louis Estuary, Lake of the Woods, and Rainy, 
  2.29  Namakan, and Sand Point lakes, and for each pound net in Lake 
  2.30  Superior, $15; 
  2.31     (v) for each stake and pound net in Lake of the Woods, $60; 
  2.32  and 
  2.33     (vi) for each set line in the Wisconsin boundary waters, 
  2.34  $20~~; and~~ 
  2.35     ~~(vii) for each trawl used in Lake Superior, $50~~.  
  2.36     Sec. 3.  [97C.007] [CRITICAL AQUATIC HABITAT.] 
  3.1      The commissioner shall acquire lands that are critical 
  3.2   habitat for fish and other aquatic life and that meet criteria 
  3.3   described for aquatic management areas in section 86A.05, 
  3.4   subdivision 14.  The lands that are acquired may be developed to 
  3.5   manage lakes, rivers, streams, and adjacent wetlands and lands 
  3.6   for aquatic life, water quality, intrinsic biological value, 
  3.7   public fishing, and other compatible outdoor recreational uses.  
  3.8   The lands may be acquired by gift, lease, easement, or 
  3.9   purchase.  The commissioner shall designate lands acquired under 
  3.10  this section as aquatic management areas for purposes of the 
  3.11  outdoor recreation system. 
  3.12     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 97C.041, is 
  3.13  amended to read: 
  3.14     97C.041 [COMMISSIONER MAY REMOVE ROUGH FISH.] 
  3.15     The commissioner may take rough fish, lake whitefish, and 
  3.16  rainbow smelt with seines, nets, and other devices.  The 
  3.17  commissioner may take catfish with seines, nets, and other 
  3.18  devices on the Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary waters.  The 
  3.19  commissioner may hire or contract persons, or issue permits, to 
  3.20  take the fish.  The commissioner shall prescribe the manner of 
  3.21  taking and disposal.  The commissioner may award a contract 
  3.22  under this section without competitive bidding.  Before 
  3.23  establishing the contractor's compensation, the commissioner 
  3.24  must consider the qualifications of the contractor, including 
  3.25  the contractor's equipment, knowledge of the waters, and ability 
  3.26  to perform the work.  
  3.27     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 97C.501, 
  3.28  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.29     Subdivision 1.  [MINNOW RETAILERS.] (a) A person may not be 
  3.30  a minnow retailer without a minnow retailer license except as 
  3.31  provided in ~~subdivision~~ subdivisions 2, paragraph (d), and 3.  A 
  3.32  person must purchase a minnow retailer license for each minnow 
  3.33  retail outlet operated, except as provided under subdivision 2, 
  3.34  paragraph (d).  
  3.35     (b) A minnow retailer must obtain a minnow retailer's 
  3.36  vehicle license for each motor vehicle used by the minnow 
  4.1   retailer to transport more than 12 dozen minnows to the minnow 
  4.2   retailer's place of business, except as provided in subdivision 
  4.3   3.  A minnow retailer is not required to obtain a minnow 
  4.4   retailer's vehicle license if minnows are being transported by 
  4.5   common carrier and information is provided that allows the 
  4.6   commissioner to find out the location of the shipment in the 
  4.7   state. 
  4.8      Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
  4.9   97C.501, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  4.10     Subd. 2.  [MINNOW DEALERS.] (a) A person may not be a 
  4.11  minnow dealer without a minnow dealer license except as provided 
  4.12  in subdivision 3. 
  4.13     (b) A minnow dealer must obtain a minnow dealer's vehicle 
  4.14  license for each motor vehicle used to transport minnows.  The 
  4.15  serial number, motor vehicle license number, make, and model 
  4.16  must be on the license.  The license must be conspicuously 
  4.17  displayed in the vehicle.  
  4.18     (c) A minnow dealer may not transport minnows out of the 
  4.19  state without an exporting minnow dealer license.  A minnow 
  4.20  dealer must obtain an exporting minnow dealer's vehicle license 
  4.21  for each motor vehicle used to transport minnows out of the 
  4.22  state.  The serial number, motor vehicle license number, make, 
  4.23  and model must be on the license.  The license must be 
  4.24  conspicuously displayed in the vehicle.  
  4.25     (d) A person with a minnow dealer license may sell minnows 
  4.26  at one retail outlet.  A minnow dealer must obtain a minnow 
  4.27  retailer license for each additional retail outlet operated.  A 
  4.28  minnow dealer operating a retail outlet under a minnow dealer 
  4.29  license must provide the following information for the retail 
  4.30  outlet: 
  4.31     (1) the name of the business; 
  4.32     (2) the city, state, and zip code where the retail outlet 
  4.33  is located; and 
  4.34     (3) the legal description or fire number. 
  4.35     The retail outlet name and location may be changed by 
  4.36  making application to the commissioner.  
  5.1      Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 97C.605, 
  5.2   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  5.3      Subdivision 1.  [LICENSE REQUIRED.] A person may not take, 
  5.4   possess, ~~buy, sell,~~ or transport turtles without an angling 
  5.5   license.  
  5.6      Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 97C.605, 
  5.7   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  5.8      Subd. 2.  [SALES LICENSE.] (a) A person may not take, 
  5.9   possess, transport, or purchase turtles for sale without a 
  5.10  turtle seller's license, except as provided in this subdivision. 
  5.11     (b) A person does not need a turtle seller's license ~~is not~~ 
  5.12  ~~required to buy turtles for retail sale to consumers~~: 
  5.13     (1) when buying turtles for retail sale at a location 
  5.14  licensed by the department of agriculture or health for sale or 
  5.15  preparation of food; 
  5.16     (2) ~~of a person licensed by the department of agriculture~~ 
  5.17  ~~or health for sale or preparation of food; or~~ 
  5.18     ~~(3) of a person~~ when buying turtle at a retail outlet; or 
  5.19     (3) when a nonresident buys turtles from licensed turtle 
  5.20  sellers for export out-of-state.  Shipping documents provided by 
  5.21  the turtle sellers shall accompany each shipment exported 
  5.22  out-of-state by nonresidents.  Shipping documents shall include: 
  5.23     (i) the name, address, city, state, and zip code of the 
  5.24  buyer; 
  5.25     (ii) the number of each species of turtle exported; and 
  5.26     (iii) the name and license number of the turtle seller.