SECTION 1124e. 29.53 of the statutes is created to read:
29.53 Stocking of fish. (1) In this section:
(a) "Fish" includes fish eggs.
(b) "Qualified inspector" means a veterinarian licensed under ch. 453 or a person who is qualified to issue fish health certificates under s. 95.60 (4s) (c).
(c) "Waters of the state" does not include self-contained fish rearing facilities or preexisting fish rearing facilities that are barrier equipped and that are artificial bodies of water.
(2) (a) No person may introduce, stock or plant any fish in the waters of the state unless all of the following apply:
1. The person has a permit issued by the department.
2. The fish have been certified by a qualified inspector to meet the fish health standards and requirements promulgated under s. 95.60 (4s) (b).
3. The fish is not a species of lake sturgeon.
(b) A person applying for a permit under this section shall submit a written application to the department.
(c) This subsection does not apply to introduction, stocking or planting of fish by the department.
(3) (a) The department may not introduce, stock or plant any fish in the waters of the state unless the fish have been certified by a qualified inspector to meet the fish health standards and requirements promulgated under s. 95.60 (4s) (b).
(4) For the purposes of issuing permits under this section and for introducing, stocking or planting of fish by the department, the department:
(a) Shall accept the certification by a qualified inspector that the fish meet the fish health standards and requirements promulgated under s. 95.60 (4s) (b) and may not require that any additional testing, inspection or investigation be performed concerning the health of the fish.
(b) May regulate the species of fish, the number of fish and the sites where the fish will be introduced, planted or stocked.
SECTION 1124g. 29.535 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (title) Introduction of wild animals other than fish.
SECTION 1124h. 29.535 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (1) (a) 1. Importing into the state any fish, spawn or any other wild animal other than fish or their eggs for the purpose of introducing, stocking or planting that fish, spawn or wild animal.
SECTION 1124i. 29.535 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (1) (a) 2. Introducing, stocking or planting any fish, spawn or other wild animal other than fish or their eggs.
SECTION 1124j. 29.535 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (1) (c) Permits for introducing, stocking or planting under par. (a) 2. shall be issued by the department only after investigation and inspection of the fish, spawn or other wild animals as the department determines necessary.
SECTION 1124k. 29.535 (1) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 1124L. 29.535 (1) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 1124mn. 29.535 (1) (f) of the statutes is renumbered 29.51 (3m) (a) and amended to read:
29.51 (3m) (a) The department may seize or destroy, or both, any fish or spawn thereof, or any fish eggs, found to be infected with any disease organisms as are designated by the department.
SECTION 1124n. 29.535 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (2) (a) Importing into the state any fish, spawn or any other wild animal other than fish or their eggs for the purpose of introducing, stocking or planting that fish, spawn or wild animal.
SECTION 1124p. 29.535 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.535 (2) (b) Introducing, stocking or planting any fish, spawn or other wild animal other than fish or their eggs.
SECTION 1124q. 29.535 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 29.53 (5) and amended to read:
29.53 (5) This The requirement of being issued a permit under this section shall not apply to civic organizations, organizations operating newspapers or television stations or promoters of sport shows when and in connection with publicly showing or exhibiting or, giving demonstrations with brook, brown or rainbow trout or providing fishing of fish for periods of not to exceed 10 days. Brook, brown or rainbow trout if the fish are placed in a tank or an artificially constructed pond that is a self-contained body of water. Fish used for such purposes shall be obtained only from resident Class A or Class B private fish hatchery operators licensed under s. 29.52 (4). Such private fish hatchery operators shall keep a record of all brook, brown or rainbow trout introduced in or delivered for introduction in any public waters and shall make a report of such introduction or delivery for such introduction to the department on or before December 31 of each year on forms furnished by the department have been certified by a qualified inspector to meet the fish health standards and requirements promulgated under s. 95.60 (4s) (b).
SECTION 1126e. 29.55 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.55 (2m) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to farm-raised deer or farm-raised fish.
SECTION 1126m. 29.572 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.572 (1) No person shall cause, authorize or permit any lands or waters to be posted with signs of any kind indicating that such lands or waters are licensed under s. 29.52 or ss. 29.573 to 29.578 unless such lands and waters are in fact so licensed.
SECTION 1138m. 29.585 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.585 (2) (a) In this section, "wild animal" means any mammal, fish or bird of a wild nature as distinguished from domestic animals under the common law or under the statutes whether or not the mammal, fish or bird was bred or reared in captivity, but does not include deer of the genus dama, cervus or rangifer or farm-raised fish.
SECTION 1139e. 29.59 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.59 (1) (f) Notwithstanding s. 29.01 (14), "wild animal" means any undomesticated mammal or bird, but does not include farm-raised deer or farm-raised fish.
SECTION 1139p. 29.595 of the statutes is created to read:
29.595 Wildlife control in urban communities. (1) The department shall establish a program to award matching grants to urban communities for up to 50% of the costs for projects to plan wildlife abatement measures or to engage in wildlife control efforts or both.
(2) A grant awarded under this section may not exceed $5,000.
(3) The department shall promulgate rules establishing criteria for awarding grants under this section.
SECTION 1139rb. 29.598 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 29.598 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:
29.598 (1) DEFINITION. (intro.) In this section, "wildlife damage" means damage caused by deer that live in the wild, bear or geese to commercial seedings or crops on agricultural land, to orchard trees or nursery stock or to apiaries or livestock. any of the following noncaptive wild animals:
SECTION 1139rbm. 29.598 (1) (a) to (e) of the statutes are created to read:
29.598 (1) (a) Deer.
(b) Bear.
(c) Geese.
(d) Turkey.
(e) Sandhill crane if hunting of sandhill cranes is authorized by the department.
SECTION 1139rc. 29.598 (2) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 29.598 (2)(b) (intro.) and amended to read:
29.598 (2) (b) (title) Eligibility and funding requirements; rules. (intro.) The department shall promulgate rules for eligibility and funding requirements for the wildlife damage abatement program and the wildlife damage claim program in order to maximize the cost-effectiveness of these programs. The department shall also promulgate rules to establish all of the following:
SECTION 1139rd. 29.598 (2) (b) 1. to 5. of the statutes are created to read:
29.598 (2) (b) 1. Authorized wildlife damage abatement measures and methods for implementing and paying for these abatement measures.
2. Forms and procedures for payment and processing of statement of claims and applications for abatement assistance.
3. Procedures and standards for determining the amount of wildlife damage.
4. A methodology for proration of wildlife damage claim payments.
5. Procedures for record keeping, audits and inspections.
SECTION 1139rf. 29.598 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.598 (4) (b) Filing of application. In order to be eligible for wildlife damage abatement assistance, a person is required to file an application with the participating county in a form acceptable to the county. An owner or lessee of land, a person who controls land or an owner of an apiary or livestock may file an application.
SECTION 1139rfm. 29.598 (4) (bn) of the statutes is created to read:
29.598 (4) (bn) Type of wildlife damage. In order to be eligible for wildlife damage abatement assistance, the type of wildlife damage to be abated shall be limited to damage to commercial seedings or crops growing on agricultural land, damage to crops that have been harvested for sale or further use but that have not been removed from the agricultural land, damage to orchard trees or nursery stock or damage to apiaries or livestock.
SECTION 1139rg. 29.598 (5) (b) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 29.598 (5) (b) and amended to read:
29.598 (5) (b) Assistance. A participating county may provide wildlife damage assistance where wildlife damage is occurring or is likely to occur for: 1. The the reimbursement of costs associated with wildlife damage abatement measures if the measures are authorized in the plan of administration under sub. (3) (c) 2.
SECTION 1139rh. 29.598 (5) (b) 2. of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 1139rj. 29.598 (5) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
29.598 (5) (bm) Cost-effectiveness of abatement. A participating county may recommend only those wildlife damage abatement measures that are cost-effective in relation to the wildlife damage claim payments that would be paid if the wildlife damage abatement measures are not implemented.
SECTION 1139rk. 29.598 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.598 (5) (c) State aid. The department may shall pay participating counties up to 50% 75% of the actual cost of providing wildlife damage abatement assistance if wildlife damage abatement measures are carried out in full compliance with the direction of the county and with funding requirements adopted under sub. (2) (b).
SECTION 1139rL. 29.598 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.598 (6) (b) Filing of claim; form. In order to be eligible for wildlife damage claim payments, a person is required to file a statement of claim with the participating county department in a form acceptable to the county department. An owner or lessee of land, a person who controls land or an owner of an apiary or livestock may file a statement of claim.
SECTION 1139rm. 29.598 (6) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.598 (6) (d) Compliance with wildlife damage abatement measures. In order to be eligible for wildlife damage claim payments for an occurrence of wildlife damage, a person seeking wildlife damage claim payments shall comply have complied with any wildlife damage abatement measures to abate that wildlife damage that were recommended by the county.
SECTION 1139rn. 29.598 (6) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:
29.598 (6) (dm) Compliance with normal agricultural practices. In order to be eligible for wildlife damage claim payments, a person seeking wildlife damage claim payments shall have managed the seedings, crops, orchard trees, nursery stock, apiaries or livestock which the person is seeking the claim payments in accordance with normal agricultural practices.
SECTION 1139ro. 29.598 (6) (em) of the statutes is created to read:
29.598 (6) (em) Type of wildlife damage. The type of wildlife damage that is eligible for wildlife damage claim payments shall be limited to damage to commercial seedings or crops growing on agricultural land, damage to crops that have been harvested for sale or further use but that have not been removed from the agricultural land, damage to orchard trees or nursery stock or damage to apiaries or livestock.
SECTION 1139rp. 29.598 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.598 (7) (a) Investigation. A participating county shall investigate each statement of claim and determine the total amount of the wildlife damage that occurred, regardless of the amount that may be eligible for payment under par. (b).
SECTION 1139rq. 29.598 (7) (b) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
29.598 (7) (b) Calculating amount of payment. In calculating the amount of the wildlife damage claim payment to be paid for a claim under par. (a), the participating county shall determine the amount as follows:
1. If the amount of the claim is $250 or less, the claimant will receive no payment.
2. If the amount of claim is more than $250 but not more than $5,250, the claimant will be paid 100% of the amount of the claim that exceeds $250.
3. If the amount of the claim is more than $5,250, the claimant will be paid the amount calculated under subd. 2., plus 80% of the amount of the claim that exceeds $5,250, subject to subd. 4.
4. The total amount paid to a claimant under this paragraph may not exceed $15,000 for each claim.
SECTION 1139rr. 29.598 (7) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read: