Weekly Column for July 17, 2019
Enjoying the outdoors is an activity cherished by many in our community. Missourians are particularly blessed to live in a state that offers so many opportunities to hunt, fish, hike and camp. One of my favorite ways to relax is by fishing at one of Missouri’s many trout streams. I often look forward to catching my daily limit at Maramec Spring Park on my way home from work.
As you may have recently heard, the Missouri Department of Conservation is considering raising the prices for trout fishing permits and tags in our state. The current price of a daily trout tag at one of Missouri’s four trout parks is set at $3 for adults and $2 for children, 15 years of age and younger. This price was set in 1999, and the department is currently considering raising these prices to $4 and $3, respectively. These increases are needed because the cost to raise these fish has gone up over the years, and trout fishing has become more popular throughout our state during this same time period. Currently, the daily catch limit is four fish, but it used to be five fish per day.
As an avid trout fisherman, I have long advocated for an increase in the price of a daily trout tag. At the same time, I would also like to see an increase in the amount of fish an angler is allowed to keep per day. I believe a fair solution to this problem is to increase the daily fee to $5 while raising the limit to five fish per day. This allows anglers to fish longer and catch more trout, while helping the department cover the costs of raising these beautiful fish.
It is important you let the Missouri Department of Conservation know what you think about this proposed daily trout permit and tag fee increase. The department regularly allows public comment on proposed changes to their regulations and a link to their comment section can be found at https://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/about-regulations/wildlife-code-missouri/proposed-regulation-changes/proposed-regulations?nid=11583. Be sure to voice your opinion by the end of the comment period on July 31, 2019.
It is an honor to serve you in the Missouri Senate. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3678 or by email at dave.schatz@senate.mo.gov if you have any questions.