Elias Thomas

Report for Minnesota

Some Republican lawmakers in the Minnesota House are working to reduce the cost of fishing licenses for Minnesotans aged 65 and older. 

Two bills were discussed at a recent committee meeting to start the conversation on making a change. 

Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, proposed a bill that would make fishing licenses free for seniors, while Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, wants to reduce the cost of a license from the normal price of $25 to a discounted $15 for those 65 and older.

Nash said he is an avid fisherman who frequently joins a group that calls itself the Old Guys Fishing Club in Waconia. He said the 65 and over fishing community is due for a break.

“We need to do something for the people who have been paying in for forever,” Nash said. “I think that this is a way that we can do something nice for people who are over 65 who fish.”

Reducing the cost of licenses as opposed to making them free would have less impact on the funds that help support fishing in the state, according to Pat Rivers, the deputy director of the Fish and Wildlife division of the Department of Natural Resources. 

However, even reducing the cost will still lead to some lost revenue, Rivers said, which would require reimbursement from the general fund, something lawmakers will have to consider if they pass the legislation. 

“The reimbursement from the general fund recognizes that angling is big business for Minnesota,” Rivers said. “Whether it’s filling up your boat with gas, staying at a resort, picking up bobbers and bait, you name it, it contributes to greater Minnesota.”

Bordering states already offer similar discounts for seniors’ fishing licenses, with Wisconsin charging $7 compared to the normal $20 fee. South Dakota charges $17 for seniors compared to $31 for other anglers, and North Dakota charges $5 compared to the $18 normal fee. 

The bills are a conversation starter, said Rep. Josh Heintzman, R-Nisswa, who chairs the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. That means the committee will work on deciding what makes the most sense for Minnesota. 

If the bill moves forward it would likely become part of a larger funding bill which would also have to be approved by the Senate. So far a similar bill has not been introduced in the Senate.

Nash said the idea of reduced fishing license costs for seniors would encourage them to bring grandchildren and others with them and would ultimately help make fishing more popular among the next generation.

“I would like to think that the state of Minnesota would find a way to say thank you to the people who have spent a lifetime buying licenses from it, and do something to take care of them.” Nash said.

Report for Minnesota is a project of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication to support local news in all areas of the state.