29.503(5)(a)(a)
Records. Each wholesale fish dealer shall keep legible, written records in the English language of all fish purchased, sold, possessed, or obtained in his or her capacity as a wholesale fish dealer by any means including by trade or barter and shall keep records of all fish disposed of in his or her capacity as a wholesale fish dealer for any reason, including as a result of spoilage or by donation. The record shall include the name, address, and fish dealer license number of the purchaser; the name, address, and wholesale fish dealer or commercial fishing license number of the person from whom the fish were purchased or obtained; the date of the transaction; the kinds of fish, the pounds or kilograms of each kind and the description of the fish purchased or obtained; and the signature of the person completing the record. If the record relates to a retail sale by the wholesale fish dealer, the record shall include only the date of the transaction and the kind, weight, and condition of the fish sold.
29.503(5)(br)
(br)
Inventory. Each wholesale fish dealer shall prepare an annual inventory of Great Lakes fish and all species of sturgeon owned by the wholesale fish dealer or in the dealer's possession or control at the time that the inventory is prepared, including such fish maintained in cold storage facilities. The inventory shall be furnished to the department within 15 days after the inventory is completed. The inventory shall be recorded on a form available from the department and shall include the weight of the fish in pounds or kilograms, the species of the fish, the condition of the fish, and the address of the location of the fish.
29.503(5)(c)
(c)
Prohibition. No wholesale fish dealer, or employee of a wholesale fish dealer, may possess, control, store, transport, or cause to be transported any fish for which there is no record or for which there is no inventory as required under this subsection.
29.503(5)(d)1.1. Each wholesale fish dealer shall retain all records and inventories required under this subsection for a period of at least 5 years from the date on which the record or inventory was created. Each wholesale fish dealer shall notify the department annually, on forms available from the department, of the location of the dealer's records and inventories.
29.503(5)(d)2.
2. Upon the written request of a wholesale fish dealer to the department, the department shall keep confidential the value or weight of any fish listed on a record or inventory under this subsection and the identity of any person who is listed on a record under this subsection as having purchased, sold, possessed, or obtained fish.
29.503(5)(d)3.
3. Notwithstanding the confidentiality requirement in subd. 2, the department may disclose information contained on any record or inventory furnished by a dealer to the department if the disclosure is in furtherance of an investigation or enforcement action undertaken by the department or a law enforcement agency.
29.503(5)(d)4.
4. Notwithstanding the confidentiality requirement in subd. 2, the department may disclose information contained on any record furnished by a dealer to the department if the department uses the information for a statistical summary or report that does not identify the dealer by name or license number.
29.503(6)(a)(a)
Subjects of inspection. Fish stored or in the possession of a wholesale fish dealer, records and reports of a wholesale fish dealer and buildings, structures, vehicles, boats, equipment and materials related to a wholesale fish dealer's business are subject to inspection by the department as provided in this subsection.
29.503(6)(am)1.1. Upon the request of the department, a wholesale fish dealer licensed in this state shall produce all records relating to the purchase, acquisition, sale, trade, barter, storage, or disposition of fish that are kept at the wholesale fish dealer's place of business or at a residence, dwelling, or location other than the wholesale fish dealer's place of business, within 24 hours of the request, for inspection or copying. The wholesale fish dealer may mail the records to the department for inspection or copying. The records shall be mailed within 24 hours of receipt of the department's request.
29.503(6)(am)2.
2. The department may not issue a license to, or renew a wholesale fish dealer license issued to, any person who has been convicted of violating this paragraph for a period of one year following the conviction.
29.503(6)(b)
(b)
Inspection authority; entry; inspection. For the purpose of enforcing this subsection, a warden or a representative of the department, upon presentation of his or her credentials to a wholesale fish dealer, a person operating a vehicle or boat for a wholesale fish dealer or an employee or person acting on behalf of a wholesale fish dealer, is authorized during any time when business is being conducted on the premises:
29.503(6)(b)1.
1. To enter any building or structure, except a dwelling place, where fish are stored, processed, packed or held, where a wholesale fish dealer's records or reports are kept, where vehicles, boats, equipment or materials used in a wholesale fish dealer's business are located or where activities related to a wholesale fish dealer's business are conducted and to enter any vehicle or boat used to transport or hold fish.
29.503(6)(b)2.
2. To inspect fish stored or in the possession of a wholesale fish dealer, inspect or copy records or reports of a wholesale fish dealer, and to inspect buildings, structures, vehicles, boats, equipment and materials related to a wholesale fish dealer's business.
29.503(6)(c)
(c)
Failure to produce records or to permit inspection. No wholesale fish dealer, operator of a vehicle or boat for a wholesale fish dealer or employee or person acting on behalf of a wholesale fish dealer may prohibit entry or prohibit an inspection to be conducted as authorized under this subsection, or refuse to produce records as required under this subsection, unless a court restrains or enjoins the entry, inspection, or production.
29.503(7)
(7) Exemption. This section does not apply to fish produced in a state or municipal fish hatchery or to farm-raised fish that are bought, bartered, sold, obtained, processed, solicited, or transported by a person who operates a fish farm registered under
s. 95.60 (3m) or by that person's employees.
29.503 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ss.
NR 19.001 and
NR 25.17, Wis. adm. code.
29.506(1)(1)
Definition. In this section, "taxidermist" means a person who mounts or preserves the carcass of any wild animal for consideration.
29.506(2)
(2) Permit requirements. No person may engage in business as a taxidermist unless he or she is issued a taxidermist permit subject to
s. 29.024 by the department. This subsection does not apply to agents or employees of taxidermists while working under the direct supervision of a taxidermist permit holder.
29.506(3)
(3) Permits. The department may not issue a taxidermist permit to any person unless that person has a seller's permit issued by the department of revenue and the number of the seller's permit is reported on the application form.
29.506(4)
(4) Authorization. Subject to this section, a taxidermist permit authorizes the permit holder to possess and transport carcasses of wild animals in connection with his or her business. This authority supersedes, to the extent permitted under this section, restrictions on the possession and transportation of carcasses of wild animals established under this chapter and
ch. 169. A taxidermist permit entitles the permit holder to the same privileges as a Class A fur dealer's license.
29.506(5)
(5) Prohibition on commingling carcasses; carcass identification. 29.506(5)(a)(a)
Commingling. No person may commingle, store, possess or transport carcasses of wild animals received in connection with his or her business with carcasses of wild animals received for any other purpose. This paragraph does not require separate refrigeration units for carcasses of wild animals received in connection with a person's business, if properly identified and recorded under
par. (b), and carcasses of wild animals received for any other purpose.
29.506(5)(b)
(b)
Carcass identification; owner information. A person who receives the carcass of any wild animal in connection with his or her business as a taxidermist shall attach an identification tag to the carcass and record information concerning the owner of the carcass. The identification tag shall remain with the carcass while it is in the possession or under the control of the taxidermist. Each identification tag shall have an identification number which corresponds with the information record of the owner of the carcass. The information record of the owner shall include the owner's name, address and signature, a description of the carcass and the date the carcass is received by the taxidermist. This paragraph does not apply to salvage or spare parts of any carcass owned by a taxidermist that are used for repair or replacement purposes.
29.506(5m)
(5m) Control of cervid carcasses. No taxidermist may possess, transport, or control the carcass of a cervid in violation of rules promulgated by the department under
s. 29.063 (3) or
(4).
29.506(6)
(6) Records. A taxidermist shall maintain records on sales forms, in triplicate, as required by the department. These records shall include information records of the owner as required under
sub. (5) (b), records of all other wild animal carcasses received in his or her place of business and records of deliveries and shipments of wild animal carcasses. Records related to the effective period of a taxidermist permit shall be maintained for 2 years following the end of that effective period. This subsection does not apply to salvage or spare parts of any carcass owned by a taxidermist that are used for repair or replacement purposes.
29.506(7)(a)(a)
Departmental authority; limitations. A warden may enter a taxidermist's place of business for inspection purposes as provided under
par. (b) only:
29.506(7)(a)3.
3. Upon presentation of his or her credentials to the taxidermist or an employee or agent of the taxidermist.
29.506(7)(b)
(b)
Items subject to inspection. All records required under
subs. (5) (b) and
(6) or related to the taxidermist's business are subject to departmental inspection as provided under
par. (a). A taxidermist or an employee or agent of the taxidermist shall cooperate with and exhibit items subject to inspection to a warden or any other agent of the department.
29.506(7)(c)
(c)
Report. If requested, the department shall issue a report concerning any inspection conducted under this subsection.
29.506(7m)(a)(a) The department shall issue a taxidermy school permit to a person who applies for the permit; who, on August 15, 1991, holds a valid taxidermist permit issued under this section; and who, on August 15, 1991, operates a taxidermy school approved by the educational approval board under
s. 38.50.
29.506(7m)(b)
(b) A taxidermy school permit authorizes the holder of the permit to purchase muskellunge, bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, rock bass or northern pike, or the carcass of these fish, from persons who caught the fish and to resell the fish only to students enrolled in a taxidermy course at the taxidermy school operated by the purchaser. For purposes of this paragraph, a taxidermy course may not include a correspondence course in taxidermy.
29.506(7m)(c)
(c) A taxidermy school permit issued under this subsection shall limit the number of each species of fish that the operator of the taxidermy school may possess on any given date to the number that the taxidermy school needs for its course of instruction for a period of 2 years beginning on that date.
29.506(7m)(d)
(d) For the species of fish specified in
par. (b), a holder of a taxidermy school permit issued under this subsection shall comply with the tagging requirements under
sub. (5) (b) and the recording requirements under
sub. (6) and shall allow inspections as authorized under
sub. (7).
29.506(8)
(8) Penalties. Any person who violates this section is subject to the following penalties:
29.506(8)(a)
(a) For a first conviction for any violation, a forfeiture of not more than $25.
29.506(8)(b)
(b) For a 2nd or subsequent conviction for any violation within 3 years of any previous violation, a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $500.
29.506 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ss.
NR 19.28 and
19.001, Wis. adm. code.
29.509
29.509
Bait dealer license. 29.509(1)
(1) In this section, unless the context requires otherwise:
29.509(1)(a)
(a) "Bait" means any species of frog, crayfish or minnow used for fishing purposes.
29.509(1)(b)
(b) "Bait dealer, Class A" means any person who buys for resale, barters, gives or sells bait to the amount of $2,000 or more each year.
29.509(1)(c)
(c) "Bait dealer, Class B" means any person who buys or gives for resale, barters, or sells bait to the amount of less than $2,000 each year.
29.509(2)
(2) A bait dealer license may be issued by the department to any resident.
29.509(3)
(3) No person may engage in the business of bait dealer unless the person is issued a bait dealer license by the department, except that a child under 16 years of age who is a resident may barter or sell bait to consumers without a license or permit and shall be allowed to have a possession limit of 5,000 of each species of bait, but the child may not make bait sales totaling more than $500 annually.
29.509(4)
(4) Each licensee shall keep records as required by the department of all transactions in the production, buying and selling of bait carried on by the licensee, except that retail sales to consumers need not be recorded. This record shall show the name and address of the person from whom bait was purchased and to whom it was sold, together with the date of each transaction and the value of the bait. This record shall be open to the inspection of the department at all reasonable hours. The record shall be kept intact for a period of 2 years after the expiration of any license issued under this section, as to all transactions carried on while the license was effective.
29.509(5)
(5) The department may issue permits for the taking of bait from specified waters and restrict the number of permits that may be issued for any designated body of water. The permits shall be issued in the order of application up to the limit established by the department.
29.509(6)
(6) This section does not apply to bait produced in a state or municipal fish hatchery or to bait that is farm-raised fish.
29.509(7)
(7) Any person who molests, damages, destroys or takes the bait traps of another, regardless of intent, shall forfeit not more than $100.
29.509 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ss.
NR 20.14 and
20.60, Wis. adm. code.
29.512(1)(1) No person may engage or be employed for any compensation or reward to guide, direct or assist any other person in hunting, fishing or trapping unless the person is issued a guide license by the department subject to
ss. 29.024 and
54.25 (2) (c) 1. d. No guide license for hunting or trapping may be issued to or obtained by any person who is not a resident of this state. No guide license may be issued to any person under the age of 18 years. The holder of a guide license shall comply with all of the requirements of this chapter.
29.512(2)
(2) Any person violating this section shall forfeit not more than $100 and upon such conviction the person's guide license shall be revoked for one year.
29.512 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
NR 20.65, Wis. adm. code.
29.514
29.514
Outlying water sport trolling licenses. 29.514(1)
(1) No person may be engaged or be employed for any compensation to guide any other person in sport trolling for trout or salmon in and upon the outlying waters unless the person is issued a sport trolling license by the department subject to
s. 29.024. No sport trolling license may be issued to any person under the age of 18 years. The application shall include the name and address of the applicant, the name of the home port from which the applicant will operate, the applicant's valid U.S. coast guard operator's license number and other information as required by the department for statistical purposes. The licensee and all persons on board the licensee's boat shall comply with all of the requirements of this chapter. Boats used by the licensee shall meet minimum U.S. coast guard and this state's boat licensing and safety requirements.
29.514(2)
(2) Each licensee shall keep records of the number of each variety of fish taken under his or her sport trolling license and other information that the department requires, and shall report to the department on forms provided by the department on or before the 10th day of each month on the records for the preceding calendar month. The licensee is responsible for the number of fish taken and shall be held to account for the number.
29.516
29.516
Fishing with nets and setlines. 29.516(1)
(1)
License required. Nets and setlines may be used for the purpose of taking, catching, or killing fish, subject to the conditions, limitations and restrictions prescribed in this chapter; but no person may set, place or use in any waters of this state any net, trap, snare, set hook, or setline, which is intended to or might take, catch or kill fish of any variety, other than a landing net, dip net, minnow seine or minnow dip net, unless a license authorizing the use of nets, setlines, traps or snares has been issued to the person by the department.
29.516(2)
(2) Restrictions on the use of licensed nets and setlines. The use of licensed nets and setlines is subject to the following conditions:
29.516(2)(a)
(a) No apron or other device shall be used in any pound net, which might prevent the escape of small fish through the meshes of the net when it is set or raised.
29.516(2)(b)
(b) No net of any kind shall be set so as to shut off more than 50% of any channel or passageway of any stream, or set within 1,000 feet of any other net in the stream.
29.516(2)(c)
(c) No licensee may join a net to that of any other licensee.
29.516(2)(d)
(d) All nets or set hooks, when set or placed in any waters, shall be marked with a number corresponding to the license number authorizing the use of the nets or set hooks. The method of marking the nets shall be as follows:
29.516(2)(d)1.
1. On drop nets, submarine trap nets and fyke nets, when set below the surface of the water, there shall be a buoy attached to the pot rope, on all gill nets and set hooks there shall be a buoy on each end of the gang, the buoys shall have a staff extending at least 3 feet above the surface of the water, upon the upper end of the staff there shall be a flag at least 10 inches square. Upon the bowl of the buoys there shall be maintained in plain figures the license number authorizing the use of the nets or set hooks.
29.516(2)(d)2.
2. On pound nets and stake fyke nets there shall be maintained at least 3 feet above the surface of the water, or the surface of the ice, when set through the ice, a board or similar material, which shall bear the license number authorizing the use of the nets.
29.516(2)(d)3.
3. On gill nets or set hooks when set through the ice there shall be maintained on each end of the gang a board or similar material which shall bear the license number authorizing the use of the nets or set hooks.
29.516(2)(e)
(e) The licensees of licensed nets or setlines used in outlying waters while engaged in the regular process of lifting nets or setlines shall, on their boats, carry the department's agents to and from their nets or setlines when set and, on demand of the agent, shall raise the nets or setlines for inspection. Any agent may, in the presence or absence of the licensees, at any time, raise any setline or nets, in any waters, with as little damage as may be, for inspection. If a licensee refuses to carry an agent the license shall be revoked.
29.516(2)(f)
(f) No licensed net may be drawn or lifted at any time between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise of the following morning, except as otherwise approved by the department or, in the case of an emergency, following notice to the nearest U.S. coast guard station.
29.516(2)(g)
(g) Except as provided in
s. 29.519 (4m), no fish of any kind shall be taken or retained in any net, when drawn or lifted, other than the kind or kinds expressly authorized to be taken or retained in the net, as provided in this chapter; and except as provided by department order any other kind or kinds of fish coming into or taken in the nets shall be immediately returned, carefully and with as little injury as possible, to the waters from which they were taken.
29.516(3)
(3) Exemption. This section does not apply to any net, trap, snare, hook, setline or other device used to take, catch or kill farm-raised fish.
29.516 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
NR 25 and ss.
NR 20.13 and
20.14, Wis. adm. code.
29.519
29.519
Commercial fishing in outlying waters. 29.519(1m)(a)(a) No person may conduct commercial fishing operations on any of the outlying waters unless the person is issued a commercial fishing license by the department.
