Minnesota Session Laws - 1994, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 479-H.F.No. 1835 
                  An act relating to game and fish; agreements on taking 
                  and possession of fish taken from Ontario boundary 
                  waters; amending Minnesota Statutes 1993 Supplement, 
                  section 97A.531, by adding a subdivision.  
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1993 Supplement, section 
        97A.531, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 6.  [BORDER WATER ENTERPRISE AGREEMENTS.] (a) The 
        commissioner of natural resources in consultation with the 
        commissioner of trade and economic development, in coordination 
        with the federal government, may negotiate and, with the 
        approval of the legislature, enter into agreements with 
        authorized representatives of the province of Ontario and the 
        "first nation" governments in Canada to provide for joint 
        resource management, promotion of tourism, or economic 
        development with respect to lakes through which the 
        Ontario-Minnesota border runs.  When negotiating with Ontario 
        officials on game fish limits in Minnesota-Ontario border 
        waters, the commissioner may not agree to more restrictive 
        limits than are allowed in Ontario, unless the commissioner 
        determines that more restrictive limits are necessary to protect 
        Minnesota's fishery resource. 
           (b) Possession of fish imported into the state from Ontario 
        by a Minnesota resident may not number more than the amount of 
        the most restrictive Ontario possession limit by species placed 
        on Minnesota-based anglers fishing in Ontario border waters 
        unless Ontario is equally restrictive on Ontario-based anglers 
        on the same border waters.  This paragraph does not apply to 
        fish taken from Ontario border waters on which limits on the 
        number of fish that may be taken are the same for 
        Minnesota-based anglers and Ontario-based anglers. 
           (c) Nothing in this section precludes the possession, 
        importation into, or transportation in the state of one trophy 
        fish of each species for the purpose of having the fish 
        preserved by taxidermy, if the fish is transported whole. 
           (d) Paragraph (b) does not apply if the governor issues a 
        waiver as provided in this paragraph.  The governor may issue a 
        waiver of the requirements of paragraph (b) and subdivisions 2, 
        3, and 4 if after negotiations with authorized representatives 
        of Ontario, the governor determines that the waiver is in the 
        best interest of the citizens of the state. 
           Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment. 
           Presented to the governor April 18, 1994 
           Signed by the governor April 21, 1994, 4:47 p.m.