Amends TCA Title 70.

Under present law, every nonresident must pay, in accordance with a fee schedule provided in law, for the privilege of hunting, trip hunting, sport fishing, or trapping. However, a license is not required for trapping beaver. Present law requires every nonresident to provide the correct information specified on all licenses and permits. All licenses and permits must be filled out in ink, indelible pencil, typewriter, or punched or stamped, or otherwise marked to prevent erasures, false entries or alterations and must be signed in ink or indelible pencil by the licensee.<br /> <br /> This bill deletes these provisions and requires, instead, that every nonresident pay a fee established by rule promulgated by the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission to be able to hunt, fish, or trap in this state. Additionally, every nonresident must provide the correct information specified on all licenses and permits in the manner required by the wildlife resources agency.<br /> <br /> CLOSED SEASON FOR HUNTING AND FISHING<br /> <br /> Under present law, there is declared a closed season upon all hunting and fishing in this state upon all wildlife protected by the laws of the state. Whenever the supply of game or fish, or both, existing in any area, lake or stream must become adequate to allow the taking or hunting, or both, of the game or fish without material danger of extinction or undue depletion of such game or fish, then it is lawful for any person to hunt or fish, or both, in the area, lake or stream within the creel, size, and bag limits, and in the manner and by the means prescribed by the fish and wildlife commission. However, the open season on private lakes may be set by the owner and operator thereof, but the creel limits on fish caught from the waters of such lakes must not exceed that set by law for public waters. This bill deletes the provision in which the open season on private lakes may be set by the owner and operator.<br /> <br /> LIMIT ON TAKING OF CERTAIN SPECIES FROM WATERS OF THE STATE<br /> <br /> Under present law, the taking of fish, mussels, turtles and other aquatic animal life, other than those species designated as game fish, from the waters of this state is not permitted except in accordance with certain parameters set in law. One such parameter is that the commission may promulgate proclamations pertaining to the use of slat baskets by sport fishing license holders. Such baskets must be marked with an identifying tag, which will expire the last day of February following the date of issue. This tag will be issued to each sport fishing license holder upon application to the agency and upon payment of not more than $5.00 to defray the cost and expense of furnishing each tag. This bill deletes the deletes the set $5.00 price and provides, instead, that the fee will be set by rule.<br /> <br /> NAVIGABLE DEFINITION <br /> <br /> Present law provides that the natural water levels of the navigable stream Reelfoot Lake are as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) The natural ordinary low water mark is 282.4 feet mean sea level, which is also the top of the 20 floodgates at the Reelfoot Lake spillway dam;<br /> <br /> (2) The natural full pool level is 283.6 feet mean sea level; and<br /> <br /> (3) The natural ordinary high water mark is 285 feet mean sea level.<br /> <br /> Present law defines "navigable" as capable, in the ordinary stage of the water, of navigation ascending and descending, by such vessels as are employed in the ordinary purposes of commerce, whether foreign or inland, and whether steam or sail vessels. This bill deletes the portion of the definition specifying "whether foreign or inland, and whether stream or sail vessels".<br /> <br /> PRIVILEGE<br /> <br /> Present law provides that it is the duty of every person participating in the privileges of taking or possessing such wildlife as permitted by the laws on wildlife resources to permit the executive director or officers of the agency to ascertain whether the requirements of such laws are being faithfully complied with, including the possession of a proper license. This bill deletes the reference to the taking or possessing wildlife as a privilege.<br />