Had it not been for a post on this forum, I would not have known about the license reqd. for 12 and 13 year olds starting on July 1st.I got one for my boy at Sportsman’s after I read about it here.I was just wondering if a warden checked him and he didn’t have the license,would we have been ticketed or just warned.The proclamation was printed before this new rule was imposed so how would you randomly know that they need this license?I guess we are on the honor system if asked how old they are since most 12 and 13 year olds don’t carry i.d to prove their age.
Thanks Waldocod for the info. I was not aware of this change until reading your post.
Here’s the link for the DWR site and the changes:
http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/07-07/fee_changes2.php
I guess I need to make a trip to buy my 12 yr old a license.
I don’t know how they can enforce a law thats not in the current proc. I also strongly disagree with this new law, I wish they would have just tacked this fee onto me, and not my 12 year old.
As with all laws it is up to you to find out about them and know them. In the fishing guide or not doesn’t change the fact that it is now the law.
That said I hope they will give warnings and work to educate the public about the change. The DWR is working on ways to introduce young people to fishing and giving them a ticket for a law most people don’t know about isn’t the best way to start.
I could put on my rose colored glasses, and say what a good way to teach young kids responsibility.
Having them responsible for keeping a license with them, and having a license like adults.
But, we all know that that is not the reason. It’s just another way for the state to “grub” some additional funds from the sportsmen.
I for one think it was a totally stupid idea to impose a new law in the middle of the year. For as long as I can remember the new changes always came out in the new proclamation at the beginning of the new year and were usually highlighted.
**Dude this has nothing to do with getting more kids into fishing. The DWR has lost over $100,000 each of the last few years in license sales. Their Federal funding is in jeopardy. Families are finding different things to do than fish. Put and take fisheries are going on the way side. There is too many fun things competing for the fishing dollar.
**
"There is too many fun things competing for the fishing dollar."
Maybe that is a good thing? Imagine if EVERYONE and their dog loved to go fishing. Our hobby would pretty much suck because it would always be too crowded and not enough of our swimming friends to go around.
Personally I think they made the new law because they’re hurting for money. I think that the high-authorities haven’t been budgeting all the revenue as wisely as they probably should have, so they’ve been brainstorming and came up with this idea.
I agree that is much easier to start the new laws at the first of the year when the new fishing guide comes out. They knew they might do this so even a simple note that it might happen in this years guide would help people know to check. The new hunting and fishing fees started July 1st so they probably just stuck this one in now since the others were going into effect.
I find it particularly interesting that they can enact “emergency” changes in a revenue program…but have to work through two years of politics and regulations to get Yuba opened to perch fishing…and then they don’t get it right.
When I was lobbying to get Yuba opened, I kept hearing “You are right. It should be opened…BUT,we have the RAC process”. To which I replied…“There is a difference between CAN’T and WON’T”.
They can do anything they WANT to do, but usually won’t make ANY decision, rather than doing something that someone else in the Division could ever find fault with…to the detriment of their career. When it comes to generating more money for the Division, everybody is on the same page.
I just got a response from the DWR regarding the “communication” of this license.They basically said what tlspyder13 said.They said the new laws have been reported on the news, in the paper, and on their site since Apr.30. and I “should” have heard about it.I personally never saw a thing on it until it was posted here on BFT.As far as writing tickets or warnings, they did not respond to that question.Anyway, I bought the damn thing so it’s water under the bridge now.
Agreed. [:(]
Maybe they should now foot the bill for a revised proc to be distrubuted out.
Did they say that the money was earmarked to stock warmwater fisheries?
Na…that money goes in the gereral fund to be used by anti-gun fanatics and PETA projects.
I LIKE IT, YOU A FUNNY GUY!
I was not aware of this as well, But I have a proc that i gat at the begining of the year and this was in it, It has been there all aolng it was not anyhting new, I do not agree with it, who knows why there sucking the money out of our kids at an earlier age, like i said before mabey they ran out of elk tradding them for turkeys, and now they need to buy more turkeys.
“But I have a proc that i gat at the begining of the year and this was in it, It has been there all aolng it was not anyhting new”
I cannot find it in my copy of the Utah Fishing Guide (all I can find is “If you’re 14 years of age or older you must purchase a fishing licence”, please provide a page and paragraph reference for your statement.
Thanks
This is why they are doing it:
“As has already been mentioned, these $5 licenses will pull in additional federal funds. Federal funds are allocated to the states based on the number of licenses sold. By charging this $5 fee for 12- and 13-year-olds, the division should be able to pull in over $200,000 in federal matching dollars each year for various Utah fisheries programs.”
This is a quote from a DWR official.
I agree with TubeDude on this though… They’ll change for money, but not much else.
All in all, I do think it is a good thing. Kids already pay hunting fees at 12 years old, and used to pay for a full price fishing license at 12 years old, not that long ago.
For me, the bottom line is that the DWR needs cash. And I want them to have it so they can continue managing the fisheries as well as they do now. (in most cases)
They didn’t change it. The DWR that is. The Utah Legislature changed it. They meet in session, and enact changes in law. The law took effect in July. You’d have to live in a vacuum to be unaware of the change. It has been on TV, in the papers, in the fishing guide, and on the internet. I don’t have to buy a license, my kids are too young to be affected, and yet I knew about it.
For many years 12 year olds had to buy a license. Someone thought that it would be a great idea to exempt youngsters from having to buy a license. The problem is that we all pay Dingle-Johnson surtaxes on our fishing equipment. If we don’t sell as many licenses as other states, they get money from the Dingle-Johnson fund that we put in there. Why not get our fair share? It could be worse. They could charge the kids the same price as an adult.
Fishrmn