Wildlife officials revise plans for fee increeases

May 24—BOSTON — The state is backing off plans to dramatically raise hunting and fishing fees next year, amid protests from sportsman's groups.

On Friday, the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife said it will reduce proposed across-the-board fee hikes and instead phase them in over five years.

Wildlife officials' plans to raise fees were met with resistance from hunters and anglers, many of them concerned about the impact of the hefty increases.

"There was some sticker shock," said Ronald Amidon, commissioner of the state Department of Fish and Game, during a Friday briefing. "Many felt that it was too much, too soon ... that many of our sportsmen would not be able to afford the fees ... and that the large increases could decrease participation."

Under a revised plan, freshwater fishing and hunting licenses will increase from $22.50 to $26 next year, and will gradually go to $40 by 2026.

Sporting licenses, which include hunting and fishing, increase from $40 to $47 next year under the updated plan, and rise to $75 in the next five years.

Those fees don't include a mandatory $5 Wildlands Conservation Stamp, a charge added to most hunting fishing license fees. Residents 70 and older still would not be charged for hunting or fishing licenses, and those ages 65 to 69 would get a discount but still see gradually increased fees over the next five years.

The agency's initial proposal, unveiled in March, called for hiking fees to $40 and $160, respectively, next year.

MassWildlife director Mark Tisa noted the fees haven't increased in nearly 26 years, even as the number of overall licenses issued has declined.

"Our revenue is not meeting our expenses," he said Friday. "We need to take action if we're going to maintain the quality of programs."

Tisa said the cost of running state-owned game areas and fishing areas, restocking lakes and rivers with fish, and enforcing wildlife protection laws has increased.

Meanwhile, administrative costs — including payroll and pension obligations — eat up about 20% of the agency's budget.

And the number of seniors with free licenses has increased to more than 27,000, he said, for which the agency is not reimbursed.

The new plan calls for shifting more of the burden to out-of-state hunters and anglers, who will see larger fee increases than residents over the next five years.

For example, non-resident fishing licenses will go from $32.50 to $36 next year and rise to $50 by 2026 under the proposal.

The agency has also proposed a new fee for pheasant and quail hunting, which would begin at $6 next year and rise to $30 over the next five years.

As part of the changes, MassWildlife said it will also look into the possibility of authorizing Sunday hunting if the Legislature approves the move.

Massachusetts is one of several states where hunting is banned on Sundays under a Puritan-era blue law. While legislation to repeal the ban has been filed every session for years, it has failed to gain traction.

MassWildlife will hold public hearings on the new proposals beginning June 22, and plans to finalize the new fees by the end of the year.

Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group's newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.