A public hearing will be conducted by the Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism Commission at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, November 16, 2017 at theBryan Conference Center (inside Wheatland Broadband), 101 S Main St, Scott City, Kansas to consider the approval and adoption of proposed regulations of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.

A general discussion and workshop meeting on business of the Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism Commission will begin at 1:00 p.m., November 16 at the location listed above.  The meeting will recess at approximately 5:00 p.m. then resume at 6:30 p.m. at the same location for the regulatory hearing and more business.  There will be public comment periods at the beginning of the afternoon and evening meeting for any issues not on the agenda and additional comment periods will be available during the meeting on agenda items. Old and new business may also be discussed at this time.  If necessary to complete business matters, the Commission will reconvene at 9:00 a.m. November 17 at the location listed above.

This permanent regulation establishes fish and wildlife-related license and permit fees.  The proposed amendments would change the expiration dates of some of the issuances from December 31 to one year from the date of purchase, change the commercial bait dealer permit from one year to three years and reduce the fee by a net of $10.00 and offer a small discount for purchases of 5 issuances or more at the same time.

The reduction in price for commercial bait fish dealer permits will result in a net loss to the department of $1,760.00 over a three year period, based on 2017 permit numbers, all of which will accrue to the wildlife fee fund.  Otherwise, no other substantive negative economic impact is anticipated for the department, other agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the overnight and annual camping permit prices, fees for utility connections, and related fees within state parks.  This is a user fee regulation and the proposed amendments would increase fees for a single park location, El Dorado, for long term camping.

Based on fiscal year 2016-17 permit numbers, the proposed increase is expected to generate an additional $5,250.00, all of which would accrue to the park fee fund.  Otherwise, the proposed amendments are not anticipated to have any appreciable economic impact on the department, small businesses, other agencies, or the general public.

This permanent regulation sets fees for vessel registrations and related issues for which a fee is charged.  The proposed amendments would increase vessel registrations by $10 for a three-year registration, or approximately $3.33 per year.

The proposed change is anticipated to generate approximately $306,000 per calendar year, based on approximately 92,000 vessel registrations, new and renewals, in a three-year period, all of which would accrue to the boating fee fund.  Otherwise, it is not anticipated to have any other substantive impact to the department, other agencies or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes fees for certain permits and other issues, including the annual lease fee for private cabins on state park controlled lands.  The proposed amendments increases fees on most of the 230 private cabin and trailer sites within state park controlled lands.

The proposed changes, by calendar year, would generate an additional $50,944 in 2018, $146,875 in 2019, $247,205 in 2020, $345,335 in 2021, and $443,465 in 2022, all of which would accrue to the park fee fund. Otherwise, the proposed changes will have no appreciable negative economic impact on the Department, other agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes legal fishing equipment and methods for sportfish and for nonsportfish.  The proposed amendments would require the use of barbless hooks when snagging for paddlefish.

It is anticipated that there would be no substantive economic impact to the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes general provisions applicable to fish processing and possession in Kansas.  The proposed amendments would require donations of sport fish to be accompanied by a donation slip, similar to what occurs with other wildlife species.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the legal species that can be sold for commercial fish bait.  The proposed amendments would allow for the sale of dead specimens of gizzard shad as fish bait.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the requirements, application and general provisions for commercial fish bait permits.  The proposed amendments would change fish bait permits to a three-year permit.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the trout permit and for what types of fishing the trout permit is needed.  The proposed amendments would change the expiration of the trout permit from calendar year to one year from the date of purchase.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the paddlefish permit.  The proposed changes would allow youth participants snagging with permitted adults to utilize the carcass tags of the adult, similar to trout fishing, and remove the requirement of a questionaire.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes the tournament bass pass.  The proposed amendments would change the expiration of the pass from calendar year to one year from the date of purchase.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This exempt regulation establishes statewide limits and open seasons for fishing in Kansas. The proposed changes relate to splitting blue catfish and channel catfish statewide creel limits, changing the wiper statewide creel limit, updates to the reference document related to length and creel limits for specific bodies of water and modifications to three trout waters. 

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.

This permanent regulation establishes special provisions related to fishing.  The proposed amendments would update the reference document related to new invasive species waters.

It is anticipated that no substantive economic impact will occur for the department, other state agencies, small businesses, or the public.