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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials said the agency will ask the state"s hunters and anglers to consider an increase in license fees to help reverse a trend that will otherwise result in a multi-million budget shortfall by 2009.
If approved by the Montana Legislature next year, it would become the first general increase for resident hunters and anglers in more than 10 years.
"We"re spending about $2 million more a year than we are bringing in from license sales," said Jeff Hagener, director of FWP. "At this rate, FWP"s checking account will be empty in a few years. It"s a serious situation for the state"s fish and wildlife conservation programs."
Projections show that by 2009 license revenue will be $3 million less than needed to fund existing programs. By 2011 the budget shortfall would grow to $14.5 million.
An increase in nonresident fishing and hunting fees approved in 2001 helped to delay a resident fee increase by boosting FWP revenues by about $4 million a year and temporarily filling a projected $16 million deficit. The legislatively approved nonresident-fee increase ensured funding through 2007, allowing FWP to continue to carry out existing responsibilities.
"The funding from the increase in nonresident fees will sustain programs through 2007," Hagener said. "But because current expenses exceed license income, Montana"s resident hunters and anglers must decide soon what to do beyond 2007. Without additional revenue, programs will have to be cut back within one or two years."
FWP is proposing a resident fee increase that would go into effect in 2006. The proposed resident fees would boost FWP revenues by about $4.6 million a year, enough new funding to balance the budget, maintain the current level of services, and allow for 4 percent growth to cover inflation and new responsibilities through 2011, Hagener said.
Hagener noted that FWP"s fee proposal contains discounts for the purchase of multiple (sportsmen’s) licenses and for licenses for youth, seniors and persons with disabilities. He said FWP will present the fee proposal, and seek comments on alternatives, at a series of public meetings that will be scheduled statewide this fall.
While specific FWP programs or staff cuts have yet to be identified, Hagener said that law enforcement, fish and wildlife surveys, hunting and fishing access programs, hatchery-fish stocking for lakes and reservoirs, FWP lands maintenance, and information and education activities would likely be targeted if fee increases are not approved. He said the proposed fee increase would allow FWP to continue existing programs and enhance services by:
increasing public access for both hunting and fishing, enhancing fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands, increasing walleye stocking to 50 million fish each year, continuing to stock 5-7 million trout and salmon each year, developing more community fishing ponds, increasing private landowners assistance to resolve wildlife conflicts, making Wildlife Management Areas more accessible for persons with disabilities, youth and senior citizens, helping urban residents address nuisance wildlife and related safety issues, increasing investigation and prosecution of fish and wildlife crimes, increasing fish, wildlife and conservation education in schools. "State law does not allow FWP to spend more than it generates," Hagener said. "State taxes do not support FWP. Montana"s fish and wildlife management programs are supported primarily by hunting and fishing license fees, so right now license fees or program cuts are the obvious places to look to reverse the trend."
General resident license fees were last increased by the 1991 Montana Legislature, which adopted a two-phase process that brought fee hikes in 1992 and 1994. Those increases were intended to finance the agency until 1999. Hagener said careful fiscal management helped FWP stretch the budget for five years longer than expected in part by keeping expenditure growth between 1996 and 2003 below the rate of inflation.
Since 1994, the only increase in resident fees has been the addition of a $2 hunter access-enhancement fee in 2001 and a $2.25 fee in 2003 to provide access to state lands and reimburse counties for search-and-rescue costs for lost hunters or anglers. Like other "earmarked" fees, these funds only support specific programs.
Fee increases for resident hunters and anglers are proposed for Montana"s conservation license, which hunters and anglers must have to purchase other licenses, and for fishing, turkey, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, antelope, mountain lion and black bear hunting licenses, as well as elk and deer permits.
Montana"s resident hunting and fishing licenses are among the least expensive in the West. For instance, a Montana fishing license costs $13 for the entire season, which is priced below the average cost of about $20 in Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. Montana"s resident elk license is $16, less than half of the average price of about $33 charged in neighboring states. In addition, Montana"s big game hunting seasons are generally longer and more liberal than other western states, offering up to 12 weeks of hunting opportunity from the early September archery season through the general rifle season which ends in late November.
Click here to see the breakdown of the proposed resident costs for some of Montana"s most popular fishing and hunting licenses.
For more information go to www.fwp.state.mt.us/feeproposal.asp, and for opportunities to comment, visit FWP"s website at: http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/publicnotices/show.aspx?id=657.
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