New Montana AIS Permit -Starts May 19

[hardwaterdriller]

Just another fee to fish in Montana.....

http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2017/05/new-ais-prevention-pass-available-anglers/

A program initiated by bill from the 2017 Montana Legislature will
provide significant funding for the state’s fight against aquatic
invasive species.

The Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass was approved as part of
Senate Bill 363 in the final days of the legislative session. Gov. Steve
Bullock signed the bill into law Thursday. This AIS pass will be
required for all anglers, beginning May 19. The cost is $2 for residents
and $15 for nonresidents. This is not a license fee increase, but
rather an additional requirement from the legislature to fund the fight
against aquatic invasive species.

The AIS Prevention Pass will be available at all Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks license providers and online beginning May 19.
Anglers who have already purchased licenses will need to go online or to
a license provider and purchase the new pass.

“We know this will be an inconvenience for some anglers, but
protecting the health of our waterways is critical,” said FWP director
Martha Williams. “The AIS program we have in place is our best chance at
keeping mussels from spreading to other Montana waters and at keeping
other invasive species from gaining a foothold in the state.”

Also included in SB 363 was a fee for hydro-electric facilities. The
AIS Prevention Pass is anticipated to generate about $3.2 million in
revenue per year. The hydro-electric fee will generate about $3.7
million.

The 2017 Legislature provided additional funding for FWP’s aquatic
invasive species program after the discovery last fall of aquatic
invasive mussel larvae in water samples from Tiber Reservoir. A sample
from Canyon Ferry Reservoir also turned up suspect for the mussel
larvae. In response, Gov. Steve Bullock declared a natural resources
emergency in November and an interagency incident command team was set
to coordinate the response to the detection.

The resulting response plan includes increasing the number of
inspection stations around the state, operating decontamination stations
at both Tiber and Canyon Ferry Reservoir, an expanded public education
and outreach effort, and doubling the water sampling efforts for mussel
larvae around Montana.

To be very clear: The new AIS prevention pass will be required for
all anglers, including those who have purchased a license prior to May
19.

Also, because it is a separate program and not a fee increase, the
pass can be purchased by non-anglers as well who would want to help
contribute to Montana’s fight against aquatic invasive species.

via FWP

 

[DirtyMike]

Although I like my money, I'm willing to spend it if ND goes this way. It seems were in the middle of two states with programs designed to fund the prevention, not just putting out PSA's that may only be heard by sportsman.

 

[dblkluk]

And yet the pleasure boater pays NOTHING..

 

[Captainbrad]

And yet the pleasure boater pays NOTHING..

+1

 

[PrairieGhost]

It would be more important to add it to a boat license. My hooks don't have much for invasive species attached. Especially since the flies I buy will be in a Montana store.

 

[johnr]

You can fix anything with more money, and taxes. Yup, just need more money.

 

[Norske]

Zebra mussels are spread by waterfowl. That's how they got from the Mississippi flyway to MT. The scientific name of the responsible bird is Lundis rangerii. His home range seems to be affluent neighborhoods near the Twin Cities.

 

[SDMF]

Zebra mussels are spread by waterfowl. That's how they got from the Mississippi flyway to MT. The scientific name of the responsible bird is Lundis rangerii. His home range seems to be affluent neighborhoods near the Twin Cities.

Sconis Allsucknuts are at least as dangerous if not worse.