HOUSE FILE 16

BY  WILLEMS and HORBACH

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to fees charged by the natural resource commission to stock private waters with fish.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 481A.78, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   481A.78  Stocking private water.
   1.  No private water may Private waters shall not be stocked by the commission unless the owner agrees that such waters shall be open to the public for fishing, except that the commission may, after investigation to determine their suitability as to size, depth, living conditions for fish, and management, provide a breeding stock of fish for privately owned farm ponds on request of the owner.
   2.  The commission shall, by rule, set fees to stock private waters with fish, with a minimum fee of five hundred dollars, regardless of the size of the private waters being stocked.
EXPLANATION
   This bill requires the natural resource commission to set fees to stock private waters with fish by rule, with a minimum fee of $500 regardless of the size of the private waters being stocked. Currently, the fish stocking fee, provided in rules, is $25 per acre or fraction of an acre of the private waters being stocked.