$10/Boat Fee Considered in New Hampshire

     On Wednesday of this week, the New Hampshire Senate will consider charging a $10.00 per boat per year fee for all non-motorized boats used on any body of water in New Hampshire.  The fee will apply to NH residents and non-residents alike.  In exchange for the $10 fee, the state will issue 2 "decals" which must be stuck to the bow and stern of a boat, above the water line.  

     The proposed fee is intended to help rescue the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, which is predicted to operate at a significant financial loss this year and into the foreseeable future.  The agency cites decreasing sales in hunting and fishing licenses, and rising costs of employee benefits as major factors in their financial problems. The money generated from the new paddling fee would go into the general fund of the Department, and will not be earmarked for non-motorized boat access or conservation of riparian lands.

      The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department states that the fee is needed to save their agency, but also to offset costs of their river access program, and their search and rescue program.  The Department reported to AW that they have developed 50 Canoe/Cartop sites at public boat access sites and Wildlife Management Area locations.  Research has shown that most of these are for pond access, however there are a group of a dozen or so that access easy rivers (flat water to class I).  These are largely geared toward hunting and angling based boating.  There are only two of these of interest to the majority of whitewater boaters.

• Bristol- take out of the Pemigewasset River.  Also used by many shore fishermen, most boaters do not wish to use this parking area because of the number of car breakins there. They would rather park on the shoulder of a lightly used dirt road by the river but are forced to use the parking area by local authorities. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/1178/
• Dummer- Pontook dam – Androscoggin River:  Large parking area with bathrooms.  Rough trail access downhill to the base of the dam to run the class II Pontook Rapids.  Better access for fishermen and waterfowl hunters for the impoundment behind and upstream of the dam. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3686/

     AW suggestions for improving the fee through less burdensome implementation, less impact on tourism, and more accountability in how the fees are spent were not addressed in the proposed legislation.  Indeed, the fee is designed to maximize revenue while supporting existing Department activities and offering no guaranteed benefit to paddlers.  It appears unlikely that even with the proposed fees the Department will have the capacity to enhance services to whitewater paddlers, or even maintain the existing limited services. 

     Many state fish and game agencies receive little or no taxpayer support.  They are run as pseudo governmental businesses, with their income generated through licenses and fees.  This has worked relatively well for sportsmen who receive land and water access, stocked fish and game, and management of wildlife for sustainable harvest.  As demand for public lands access changes slowly from a focus on hunting and fishing to a multi-use focus that also includes non-consumptive non-motorized recreation like hiking, walking, running, paddling, swimming, rock climbing, and mountain biking, the old agency model makes less sense.  We have recommended that the agency consider requesting state general funds, consider on-site access fees, and feel that if any new fees should be charged of non-consumptive users than they should apply equitably to all such users.  

 

     We certainly support the Department’s efforts to provide water access throughout the state but can not support the new fees because we question their implementation, equity, and return on paddlers’ investment.  We would consider a significantly improved fee system, and would support state funding for the Department.      

 

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Attend a Hearing:  The NH Senate is holding a hearing on Wednesday, March 14 at 1:00 PM to consider the bill. The hearing will be held in room 103 of the legislative office building which is on State St. across from the capitol building in Concord, NH. Attend this hearing if possible.  More information can be found at:  http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/billstatus/billdetailpwr.asp

Write an Email or Make a Phone Call Immediately: Contacts from all interested paddlers (NH residents and non-residents alike) should be made to the NH Senate Fish and Game Committee.  You can find their contact information at the following link.   http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/billstatus/commmail.asp?commcode=S35

NH residents can also contact their individual senator at: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/whosmyleg/

Tell the senators what you think about the proposal, and how it would affect you. 

 

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The full text of the proposed bill can be found below. 

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2007 SESSION

07-1304

04/05

SENATE BILL 255-FN-A

COMMITTEE: Wildlife, Fish and Game

ANALYSIS

This bill requires owners of non-motorized vessels to annually purchase and display a conservation decal.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-1304

04/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Fish and Game; Non-Motorized Vessel Conservation Decal. Amend RSA 207 by inserting after section 62 the following new section:

207:63 Non-Motorized Vessel Conservation Decal.

I. In this section, “non-motorized vessel” means any type of watercraft that is not equipped with propelling machinery and that is used or capable of use as a means of transportation.

II. No person shall operate a non-motorized vessel on any waters of the state, including estuarine and coastal waters, unless the vessel is properly displaying 2 conservation decals as provided in this section or is exempt under paragraph IV of this section.

III. The annual fee for a set of 2 conservation decals shall be $10, of which $1 shall be retained by the issuing agent. The balance shall be deposited into the fish and game fund. Conservation decals shall expire on December 31 of each year.

IV. The following vessels shall be exempt from the provisions of this section:

(a) Non-motorized vessels used as tenders.

(b) Non-motorized vessels owned by a municipal government, the state or federal government, or by a school district.

(c) Non-motorized vessels legally registered in the state.

(d) Inflatable tubes.

(e) Rafts and floats.

(f) Surfboards.

V. Two conservation decals shall be required for each non-motorized vessel. Decals shall be affixed on the front or rear of the vessel visible above the water line, or affixed on the bow below the gunnels but above the water line, or affixed on the inside of the gunnels at the mid-ship point so the decals are visible from both sides of the vessel.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

07-1304

Revised 03/12/07

SB 255 FISCAL NOTE

FISCAL IMPACT:

METHODOLOGY: