New hunting and fishing penalties sought

February 03, 2009

An amendment introduced at the State Legislature, if passed, would place financial penalities on hunters or fishers breaking a state game and fish law and expedite payment for infractions.

Rep. Elias Barela wants to amend state law to include the following new or increased penalties:

Fishing rule infractions – $ 75.00
Upland game rule infractions – $100.00
Waterfowl rule infractions – $100.00
Manner and method infractions – $100.00

Barela said amending the law makes it easier for those breaking it to pay for their low-level infraction and move on.

“If you know you’re guilty, this allows you to pay the fine by mailing it in,” he said. Typically the above infractions require a person to go to court, which Barela believes is inefficient for the person and the courts.

According to HB143, the penalties apply to infractions of an “unlawful hunting and fishing” law, which says citizens cannot:

(1) hunt, take, capture, kill or attempt to take, capture or kill, at any time or in any manner, any game animal, game bird or game fish in the state; or

(2) possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase or purchase in the state all or any part of any game animal, game bird or game fish.

The above law, which is already on the books, makes an exception for livestock owners whose livestock has been killed by wild game.

UPDATE: Barela said in a conversation with Valencia! that the amendment does not add or increase penalties, noting that he may have mispoke in saying it did during an earlier conversation.

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