2023 23LSO-0499
STATE OF WYOMING
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0084
Regulation of commercially guided boats.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Sommers and Senator(s)
Baldwin
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to game and fish; authorizing the Wyoming
2 game and fish commission to regulate commercially guided
3 fishing boats; providing definitions; providing rulemaking
4 authority; and providing for an effective date.
5
6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
7
8 Section 1. W.S. 23-3-206 is created to read:
9
10 23-3-206. Commercially guided fishing boats;
11 regulatory authority; definitions.
12
13 (a) To protect the quality of the fishery or aquatic
14 resources and species in this state, the commission may set
15 daily limits on the number of commercially guided fishing
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1 boats allowed to launch into any section of river. In
2 promulgating any rule under this subsection, the commission
3 shall hold a public hearing to gather public comments in at
4 least one (1) community in the major drainage area in which
5 the rule will apply.
6
7 (b) In the event that the commission sets daily
8 limits on the number of commercially guided fishing boats
9 allowed to launch into any section of river, the commission
10 shall promulgate rules governing the licensing or other
11 means of tracking the number of commercially guided fishing
12 boats launching into any section of river.
13
14 (c) As used in this section:
15
16 (i) "Commercially guided fishing boat" means a
17 fishing boat that is operated by an outfitter or
18 professional fishing guide;
19
20 (ii) "Major drainage area" means the Snake River
21 and Salt River drainage, the Wind River and Big Horn River
22 drainage, the Powder River and Belle Fourche River
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1 drainage, the Bear River drainage, the Green River drainage
2 or the North Platte River drainage;
3
4 (iii) "Outfitter" or "professional fishing
5 guide" means a person who advertises or holds himself out
6 to the public for hire for the purpose of financial gain to
7 provide fishing guide services, excluding any person who
8 furnishes fishing equipment only to a person for the
9 person's personal temporary use. "Outfitter" or
10 "professional fishing guide" includes any person requiring
11 dues or remuneration for providing personal services on the
12 river for the purposes of fishing.
13
14 Section 2. This act is effective July 1, 2023.
15
16 (END)
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