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Fish & Wildlife commissioner proposes $20 "area license" for paddlers at agency access points
Summary
Commissioner Jason Batchelder told the Natural Resources & Energy Committee the department wants an "area license" to charge non‑angler paddlers for use of Fish & Wildlife fishing access areas; the proposal would exempt people holding hunting/fishing licenses or motorboat registrations and is estimated to raise roughly $50,000 in year one and up to about $290,000 within 4–5 years.
Jason Batchelder, commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, outlined a proposed "area license" that would require stand‑up paddlers and other non‑angler users who do not already hold a hunting or fishing license or motorboat registration to pay for use of the agency’s fishing access areas.
"It's essentially . . . a license to use our fishing access areas for paddling and almost nothing else," Batchelder told the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee during a committee meeting on April 15. He said the department would aim for an annual price near $20, plus short‑term passes, and would use QR‑coded kiosks at access points to facilitate purchases.
Batchelder said…
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