Minnesota Session Laws - 1998, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 252-S.F.No. 2111 
                  An act relating to game and fish; modifying 
                  restrictions on fish houses; modifying the license 
                  period for fish house licenses; extending certain 
                  angling seasons in 1998; amending Minnesota Statutes 
                  1996, section 97C.355, subdivision 7; Minnesota 
                  Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 97A.411, subdivision 
                  1. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
        97A.411, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [LICENSE PERIOD.] (a) Except as provided in 
        paragraph paragraphs (b) and (c), a license is valid during the 
        lawful time within the license year that the licensed activity 
        may be performed.  A license year begins on the first day of 
        March and ends on the last day of February. 
           (b) A license issued under section 97A.475, subdivision 6, 
        clause (5), 97A.475, subdivision 7, clause (2), (3), (5), or 
        (6), or 97A.475, subdivision 12, clause (2), is valid for the 
        full license period even if this period extends into the next 
        license year, provided that the license period selected by the 
        licensee begins at the time of issuance. 
           (c) When the last day of February falls on a Saturday, an 
        annual resident or nonresident fish house or dark house license, 
        including a rental fish house or dark house license, obtained 
        for the license year covering the last day of February, is valid 
        through Sunday, March 1 and the angling license of the fish 
        house licensee is extended through March 1. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 97C.355, 
        subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 7.  [DATES AND TIMES HOUSES MAY REMAIN ON ICE.] (a)  
        A fish house or dark house may not be on the ice between 12:00 
        a.m. and one hour before sunrise after the following dates: 
           (1) February 28 the last day of February, for state waters 
        south of a line starting at the Minnesota-North Dakota border 
        and formed by rights-of-way of U.S. Route No. 10, then east 
        along U.S. Route No. 10 to Trunk Highway No. 34, then east along 
        Trunk Highway No. 34 to Trunk Highway No. 200, then east along 
        Trunk Highway No. 200 to U.S. Route No. 2, then east along U.S. 
        Route No. 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border; and 
           (2) March 15, for other state waters. 
           A fish house or dark house on the ice in violation of this 
        subdivision is subject to the enforcement provisions of 
        paragraph (b).  The commissioner may, by rule, change the dates 
        in this paragraph for any part of state waters.  Copies of the 
        rule must be conspicuously posted on the shores of the waters as 
        prescribed by the commissioner.  
           (b) A conservation officer must confiscate a fish house or 
        dark house in violation of paragraph (a).  The officer may 
        remove, burn, or destroy the house.  The officer shall seize the 
        contents of the house and hold them for 60 days.  If the seized 
        articles have not been claimed by the owner, they may be 
        retained for the use of the division or sold at the highest 
        price obtainable in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. 
           (c) When the last day of February, under paragraph (a), 
        clause (1), or March 15, under paragraph (a), clause (2), falls 
        on a Saturday, a fish house or dark house may be on the ice 
        between 12:00 a.m. and one hour before sunrise until 12:00 a.m. 
        the following Monday. 
           Sec. 3.  [EXTENDING CERTAIN ANGLING SEASONS.] 
           Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 97C.345, 
        subdivisions 1 and 2, paragraph (b), 97C.371, subdivision 4, and 
        97C.395, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), the 1997-1998 
        angling season for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, 
        largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass and the 1997-1998 spearing 
        season for roughfish, catfish, lake whitefish, and northern pike 
        is extended through March 1, 1998, except that no spearing will 
        be permitted on Cass lake, Beltrami and Cass counties, during 
        this extension.  The commissioner of natural resources by order 
        may close the season in all or parts of the state before March 
        1, 1998, if the commissioner finds it necessary for protection 
        of the resource or public safety.  Such an order is effective 
        upon filing with the secretary of state.  The rulemaking 
        provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14, section 84.027, 
        subdivision 13, and sections 97A.0451 to 97A.0459, do not apply 
        to this section. 
           Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final 
        enactment. 
           Presented to the governor February 12, 1998 
           Signed by the governor February 12, 1998, 9:35 a.m.