2023 Tennessee Code › Title 70 - WILDLIFE RESOURCES (§§ 70-1-101 — 70-9-107) › Chapter 2 - LICENSES AND PERMITS (§§ 70-2-101 — 70-2-304) › Part 2 - MISCELLANEOUS LICENSES AND PERMITS (§§ 70-2-201 — 70-2-226) › Section 70-2-219 - Trout fishing in premiere tourist resort cities - Disposition of funds from Reelfoot preservation permits - Privileges of senior citizen permit holders

(a)
[Deleted by 2021 amendment.]
(b)
(1)
Before any person may fish for trout in a premiere tourist resort city, such person must obtain the appropriate permit as described in this part, in addition to any appropriate state license, if required. The fish and wildlife commission is authorized to establish seasons and creel limits and to establish and collect permit fees in amounts to be set forth by proclamation duly passed by the commission. In addition to the appropriate state license, a person must obtain either a one-day permit for a fee of two dollars ($2.00) or a three-day permit for a fee of six dollars ($6.00); provided, that a nonresident may purchase a one-day all inclusive permit, in lieu of the normal license/permit combination. The fee for this permit shall be not less than eight dollars ($8.00) nor greater than thirteen dollars ($13.00). Eight dollars ($8.00) from each permit sold shall be retained by the agency as its license fee.
(2)
The fish and wildlife commission is authorized to pay to the premiere tourist resort city an amount not to exceed the permit fees collected, less the eight-dollar license fee retained by the agency, for the cost incurred by the premiere tourist resort city for the stocking of trout.
(3)
The fish and wildlife commission may exempt certain age groups from this section.
(4)
Full-time police officers and other such authorized employees of the premiere tourist resort city have the authority under the guidance of the fish and wildlife commission to enforce the creel limits, licensing and permit requirements of this subsection (b).
(5)
"Premiere tourist resort city" means a municipality having a population of twenty-five hundred (2,500) or more persons, according to the federal census of 1980 or any subsequent federal census, in which at least forty percent (40%) of the assessed valuation, as shown by the tax assessment rolls or books of the municipality, of the real estate in the municipality consists of hotels, motels, tourist courts accommodation, tourist shops and restaurants.
(c)
All funds derived from the sale of the Reelfoot preservation permit are hereby designated as set aside for the exclusive use of acquiring and maintaining lands around Reelfoot Lake.
(d)
Residents of Tennessee sixty-five (65) years of age or older who purchase an annual senior citizen permit and who otherwise comply with the licensing requirements of §
70-2-201(c)(2)
, if applicable, enjoy the same additional privileges and benefits as provided to an annual sportsman license holder. The annual fee shall be forty dollars ($40.00).
(e)
(1)
The executive director is authorized to issue special permits to a nonprofit wildlife conservation organization that qualifies as tax exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (
26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)
). An organization that receives a special permit issued under this subsection (e) may sell or otherwise transfer such permits through any legal means available.
(2)
Any proceeds of the sale must be used in this state for wildlife management projects approved by the agency; provided, that, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the organization may use no more than twenty percent (20%) of the proceeds to administer the sale or transfer of the permit.
(3)
The executive director may issue up to five (5) special permits in a license year and shall strive to ensure that hunting or fishing opportunities occur in each grand division of the state pursuant to this subsection (e).
(4)
The commission may promulgate rules to implement the special permit program.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 270, s 7, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 65, s 1, eff. 3/28/2019.
Acts 1978, ch. 638, § 1; 1979, ch. 231, § 1; 1981, ch. 112, § 1; 1981, ch. 484, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., § 51-238; Acts 1983, ch. 285, § 1; 1985, ch. 350, §§ 6, 7; 1987, ch. 23, §§ 1, 2; 1989, ch. 47, § 1; 1989, ch. 486, §§ 13, 14; 1991, ch. 124, § 1; 1992, ch. 570, §§ 1, 2; 1992, ch. 616, § 2; 1995, ch. 332, § 1; 1999, ch. 107, § 1; 2001, ch. 376, § 3; 2007 , ch. 162, § 1; 2009 , ch. 182, § 1; 2012 , ch. 993, § 13.