Senate File 143 - Introduced SENATE FILE 143 BY CHAPMAN A BILL FOR An Act relating to bass fishing in the state. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 1135XS (2) 87 av/nh
S.F. 143 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 483A.39 Bass fishing tournaments. 1 1. a. For the purposes of this section, “bass fishing 2 tournament” means an organized fishing event, except for a 3 fishing event sponsored by the department for educational 4 purposes, involving all of the following: 5 (1) An organized event occurring on public water for the 6 purpose of fishing for bass. 7 (2) Participation of six or more vessels or twelve or 8 more individuals in the event, except for an event on the 9 waters of the Mississippi river, where the number of vessels 10 participating shall be twenty or more and the number of 11 participants shall be forty or more. 12 (3) The award of prizes or other inducements for 13 participation in the event. 14 b. For the purposes of this section, “bass fishing 15 tournament” also includes a planned event on public water for 16 the purpose of fishing for bass. 17 2. A person shall apply for a permit to hold a bass fishing 18 tournament. The commission shall, by rule, specify the 19 requirements to obtain a permit including but not limited to 20 the following: 21 a. Minimum requirements for weigh-in, handling, and release 22 of live bass by tournament participants. 23 b. Measurement of bass to length and release from a vessel. 24 c. Allowance of up to five bass for weigh-in during the 25 tournament. 26 d. Allowance of possession of bass of any length so long as 27 the bass are kept alive and are released after weigh-in. 28 e. Cleaning of vessels used before and after the tournament 29 in compliance with department guidelines to prevent the 30 transportation of aquatic invasive species. 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 This bill relates to bass fishing tournaments in the state. 35 -1- LSB 1135XS (2) 87 av/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 143 The bill sets forth requirements for conducting bass fishing 1 tournaments on public waters in the state and requires a 2 person conducting a bass fishing tournament to obtain a permit 3 from the department of natural resources. Currently, rules 4 regulating fishing tournaments generally are contained in the 5 department’s administrative rules at 571 IAC 44.4(2). 6 -2- LSB 1135XS (2) 87 av/nh 2/ 2