By Rebecca A. Humphries, Director,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan has a long and rich heritage of residents and visitors enjoying hunting, fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation. Hunting and fishing activity in our state contributes $3.3 billion to the state's economy, making Michigan one of the top places in the country to enjoy the great outdoors.

The Department of Natural Resources is proud to serve the public by managing and protecting the natural resources that Michigan citizens and visitors enjoy. The DNR manages the largest public land mass of any state east of the Mississippi River, and the largest dedicated state forest system in the nation for recreation, wildlife habitat and timber products.

Michigan's economy is undergoing historic transformation, and it is making for tough times for the state currently. The state budget is experiencing shortfalls, making it more difficult to give General Fund support to the DNR and its programs.

A decade ago, 23 percent of the DNR's budget was General Fund, or general tax dollars, appropriated by the Legislature. Today, only 9 percent of the DNR's budget is General Fund, and of that, half of the General Fund dollars go for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments to local units of government. Approximately 76 percent of the DNR's budget is restricted funding, which is revenue received from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, state park Motor Vehicle Permit fees and other user fees.

The DNR receives less than one-third of one cent of every tax dollar paid by you, the taxpayers.

The money you pay when you buy a hunting or fishing license goes into a restricted fund called the Game and Fish Protection Fund. By law, this fund can only be used to pay for certain programs and activities. Among them, the fund pays for conservation officers to be out in the field, wildlife and fish biologists, habitat projects and operation of state fish hatcheries.

As General Fund support for the DNR dwindled, the department made the dollars it received in its restricted funds stretch. Today, those funds are nearly depleted. To address the protected shortfalls in the Game and Fish Protection Fund, the Legislature has introduced legislation that would gradually increase fees for hunting and fishing licenses over a six-year span.

Other highlights of the legislation include a new three-day or 72-hour fishing license that could be purchased by visitors or infrequent anglers who just want to fish for a few days, such as over the course of a holiday weekend. Also, the age for an angler to be required to have a fishing license would drop from 17 to 16 years old.

Also, the senior discount of 60 percent off an individual license would remain in place until 2010, but then would start gradually decreasing until it is at 40 percent by 2013.

The legislation was drafted based on recommendations from a work group established by the Natural Resources Commission last year. The work group consisted of representatives from the major hunting and angling groups in the state, including the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Trout Unlimited, the National Turkey Federation, U.P Whitetails and the Michigan Charter Boat Association.

If fees are not increased, the shortfall facing the Game and Fish Protection Fund will be $8 million in 2008, and would grow to more than $40 million by 2010. If the DNR is faced with a deficit of that size in 2010 in this fund, there would be significant layoffs and reduction of programs for the public. Even the most casual user of natural resources in this state would feel the impact of those reductions.

Michigan's natural resources are unparalleled in our nation, and are a drawing card for our state for tourists and the business they generate. They also are the reason many of us call this state home. Investing in our natural resources is important because we must protect them for future generations, who will enjoy and use them as we all do.

While some may think a license fee increase is not prudent during tough economic times, it is important to remember that the DNR simply cannot rely on General Fund support to ever return to the department's budget. There is a group of statewide conservation and environmental groups studying different options to provide broader, long-term funding support for conservation. The DNR looks forward to a proposal that will provide an opportunity to contribute more to the work we do to protect our natural resources. We strongly feel we cannot keep balancing our budget on the backs of the hunters and anglers of this state, especially when we manage the public trust for every resident of this state.

In the meantime, we hope that anglers and hunters will support the gradual increase in fees. The fee increases are structured in such a way that will keep hunting and fishing an affordable family activity.

More information on the legislation and the license fee work group can be found on the DNR's Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr.