The Florida Senate

370.0608  Deposit of license fees; allocation of federal funds.--

(1)  All license fees collected pursuant to s. 370.0605 shall be deposited into the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund, to be used as follows:

(a)  Not more than 5 percent of the total fees collected shall be used to carry out the responsibilities of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and to provide for the award of funds to marine research institutions in this state for the purposes of enabling such institutions to conduct worthy marine research projects.

(b)  Not less than 2.5 percent of the total fees collected shall be used for aquatic education purposes.

(c)1.  The remainder of such fees shall be used by the department for the following program functions:

a.  Not more than 5 percent of the total fees collected, for administration of the licensing program and for information and education.

b.  Not more than 30 percent of the total fees collected, for law enforcement.

c.  Not less than 27.5 percent of the total fees collected, for marine research.

d.  Not less than 30 percent of the total fees collected, for fishery enhancement, including, but not limited to, fishery statistics development, artificial reefs, and fish hatcheries.

2.  The Legislature shall annually appropriate to the commission from the General Revenue Fund for the activities and programs specified in subparagraph 1. at least the same amount of money as was appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection from the General Revenue Fund for such activities and programs for fiscal year 1988-1989, and the amounts appropriated to the commission for such activities and programs from the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund shall be in addition to the amount appropriated to the commission for such activities and programs from the General Revenue Fund. The proceeds from recreational saltwater fishing license fees paid by fishers shall only be appropriated to the commission.

(2)  Funds available from the Wallop-Breaux Aquatic Resources Trust Fund shall be distributed by the commission between the Division of Freshwater Fisheries and the Division of Marine Fisheries in proportion to the numbers of resident fresh and saltwater anglers as determined by the most current data on license sales. Unless otherwise provided by federal law, the commission, at a minimum, shall provide the following:

(a)  Not less than 5 percent or more than 10 percent of the funds allocated to the commission shall be expended for an aquatic resources education program; and

(b)  Not less than 10 percent of the funds allocated to the commission shall be expended for acquisition, development, renovation, or improvement of boating facilities.

(3)  All license fees collected pursuant to s. 370.0605 shall be transferred to the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund within 7 days following the last business day of the week in which the license fees were received by the commission. One-fifth of the total proceeds derived from the sale of 5-year licenses and replacement 5-year licenses, and all interest derived therefrom, shall be available for appropriation annually.

History.--s. 7, ch. 89-270; s. 6, ch. 90-243; s. 13, ch. 91-78; s. 212, ch. 94-356; s. 985, ch. 95-148; s. 5, ch. 96-300; s. 25, ch. 96-321; s. 4, ch. 98-203; s. 42, ch. 99-245.