Mich. Comp. Laws § 324.44508 — MI Code / Chapter 324 / Act Act-451-of-1994 / Section 324.44508
Availability of fish in waters utilized by charter boats; catch activity committee; composition; duties; reports; charter boat operator duties.
Status: in_force

Sec. 44508.

(1) The department may research the availability of fish in the waters of this state that are utilized by charter boats.

(2) The department shall form a catch activity committee that is composed of 2 individuals from the department and 2 representatives from the Michigan charter boat association. The catch activity committee shall do all of the following:

(a) Advise on changes to the catch activity report form that pertains to the number, type, and location of fish taken from charter boats in this state.

(b) Advise on research priorities concerning the information gathered pursuant to this section.

(3) The department shall distribute to each charter boat operator in possession of a valid certificate of inspection, information related to any required catch activity report, and each charter boat operator shall complete the required report in the manner prescribed in subsection (5).

(4) The department shall compile an annual report based on information contained in catch activity reports submitted to the department under subsection (5). The annual report must not disclose the identity of a charter boat operator who provides information under subsection (5).

(5) A charter boat operator shall do each of the following:

(a) Maintain on board each charter boat under the operator's control a daily record of all catch activity of that charter boat for the current and previous calendar month.

(b) Make available for inspection the daily catch activity records required to be maintained under this subsection on the request of a peace officer.

(c) Complete a catch activity report for each charter boat under the operator's control. All charter boat operators regulated by this state shall provide the department with twice-monthly catch activity reports, except that all charter boat operators must report more frequently if a consent decree, decree, federal court order, memorandum of understanding, or other legally binding agreement establishes more frequent reporting. The department may issue orders requiring catch activity reports to be submitted twice monthly and specifying the information required, consistent with any consent decree, decree, federal court order, memorandum of understanding, or other legally binding agreement.

(d) The operator of a charter boat that is used for fishing on 2 or more bodies of water within a reporting period shall complete for that charter boat a separate catch activity report for each body of water fished, and shall submit each report to the department in the manner prescribed by this section.

(e) If a charter boat operator in possession of a valid certificate of inspection issued under section 44507 does not submit to the department the required catch activity report within 30 days after being notified that the report is delinquent, the department may revoke the state certificate of inspection issued for that vessel.

History: Add. 1995, Act 57, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995; Am. 2023, Act 239, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024