87-3-236. Warm water game fish surcharge and stamp -- warm water game fish defined -- accounts established -- dedication of revenue to Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery. (1) A person who is required to be licensed in order to fish in Montana and who desires to fish for warm water game fish in waters listed pursuant to subsection (9) shall, upon purchase of a Class A, Class B, Class B-4, or Class A-8 fishing license, pay a warm water game fish surcharge of $5. The surcharge is in addition to the license fee established for each class of license and entitles the holder to fish for warm water game fish as authorized by the department. Payment of the surcharge must be indicated by placement of a warm water game fish stamp on the fishing license.
     (2) A warm water game fish stamp is valid for the license year in which it is purchased.
     (3) Revenue from the warm water game fish surcharge must be placed in the account created in subsection (5) and may be used only for the purposes set out in subsection (7).
     (4) As used in this section, "warm water game fish" includes but is not limited to all species of the genera Stizostedion, Esox, Micropterus, and Lota and includes largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), sauger (Stizostedion canadense), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), northern pike (Esox lucius), and tiger muskellunge.
     (5) There is an account into which must be deposited:
     (a) all proceeds from the warm water game fish surcharge established in subsection (1); and
     (b) money received by the department in the form of gifts, grants, reimbursements, or appropriations from any source intended to be used for the Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery.
     (6) The department shall administer the account within the state special revenue fund established in 17-2-102.
     (7) Subject to the provisions of subsection (8), revenue collected under subsection (5) must be used by the department for the construction, operation, maintenance, and personnel costs of the Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery established in 87-3-235, which may include a cost-share agreement with the federal government for construction of the Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery, and beginning October 1, 2005, for the costs incurred in eradicating illegally introduced warm water species from Montana waters. No more than 15% of available revenue may be dedicated to eradication efforts.
     (8) The department may not use any nonfederal funds for the hatchery authorized in 87-3-235 other than those in the account provided for in subsection (5). There is an account in the federal special revenue fund into which must be deposited all federal money received for purposes of the Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery and from which the department may use funds for the hatchery authorized in 87-3-235.
     (9) The department shall prepare a list of all waters into which fish from the Fort Peck multispecies fish hatchery will be planted. The waters designated in the list are the only waters for which a warm water game fish stamp is required.

     History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 559, L. 1999.