Senate Ag committee considers letter urging Game, Fish and Parks to review fishing-guide rules

At the start of the committee meeting, Senator Duhamel introduced a draft letter prepared at the request of the Black Hills Sportsman and Fly Fisher organizations asking the Game, Fish and Parks Commission to consider rulemaking on fishing guide licenses.

Duhamel said the groups "wanted it to more be in rules and let Game, Fish, and Park take the lead." Committee members discussed the scope of the draft. One senator objected to language that appeared to address hunting guides, saying licensure for hunting guides raised different concerns because much hunting occurs on private land. The committee agreed to strike the hunting-related language from the first bullet in the draft and asked Senator Duhamel to make edits and circulate the revised letter for members' signatures.

The exchange did not produce a formal motion or vote to send the letter; senators instructed Duhamel to make revisions and return the draft for signatures. The committee moved on to its scheduled presentation after that discussion.