Proposed Legislation Creates a $5.00 Hatchery Stamp
and Raises the Cost of MI Resident Fishing Licenses by $2.00
by Scott Brown
In an effort to offset the long term budget eroding effects of inflation and increased operational cost driven cuts experienced by Michigan’s fish stocking program, legislation has been introduced to the Michigan House of Representatives that if enacted would require the purchase of a $5.00 hatchery stamp to fish for hatchery produced cold water species stocked by the MDNR. The language of House Bill 5093 of 2025 would also increase the cost of a Michigan resident fishing license to fish for non-stocked warm water species by $2.00.
Introduced by State Representatives Curtis VanderWall (District 102), Ken Borton (105 District) Doug Wozniak (District 59), and Parker Fairbairn (105 District), most of the revenue generated by the sale of $5.00 hatchery stamps would go directly to the MDNR fisheries division to help offset the long-term effects of inflation, substantial increases in the overall cost of operating hatcheries, and the chronic failure of the state legislature to appropriate annual increases in state funding. Revenue generated by the $2.00 increase in the cost of a Michigan resident fishing license would be dedicated to enhancing inland warm water species (i.e. largemouth bass) fishing opportunities.
Failure to enact House Bill 5093 will most likely affect operations at MDNR run hatcheries that support production of coldwater fish species such as lake trout, brook trout, splake, Chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon, and steelhead. The MDNR operates the Marquette State Fish Hatchery, the Thompson State Fish Hatchery located near Manistique, the Oden Fish Hatchery located near Petoskey, the Harrietta State Fish Hatchery, the Platte River State Fish Hatchery located near Honor, and the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery located near Kalamazoo. The legislation is being pro-actively supported by Michigan United Conservation Clubs, the Great Lakes Salmon Initiative, and many other sportfishing focused organizations. It is important to note that sport fishing in Michigan generates approximately $2.4 billion annually in economic activity.