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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Rawson

DATE TYPED 1/31/05

HB

SHORT TITLE Gould’s Turkey Enhancement Permits

SB 39

ANALYST Wilson

REVENUE

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

See Narrative

Game Protection

Fund

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Game & Fish (DGF)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 39 will give statutory authority to the State Game Commission to direct the Depart-

ment of Game & Fish to authorize the issuance of Gould’s turkey enhancement permits for the

taking of Gould’s turkeys to raise funds for programs and projects to better manage the Gould’s

turkey population in New Mexico.

Significant Issues

The DGF provided the following:

•

New Mexico Statutes, Chapter 17 Game & Fish, Article 2, Part 3, Wildlife Conserva-

tion Act 17-2-37 and 17-2-42 NMSA clearly define the purposes for which the take of

this State Threatened species may occur. Those purposes are for scientific, zoological

or educational purposes, for propagation in captivity of such wildlife or to protect pri-

vate property. This bill would allow the take of Gould’s turkeys as described above,

hunters harvesting turkeys under this bill would be expected to provide scientific in-

formation to managers, and funds derived from the sale of any of these permits would

Senate Bill 39 -- Page 2

be expected to be returned to a Gould’s turkey program.

•

Game & Fish biologists believe that very little can be done to affect habitat improve-

ment by conducting projects, but instead, more can be achieved by preventing activi-

ties such as over grazing, removal of roost trees and limiting seasonal disturbances.

•

It is possible that costs to the Game protection fund to administer this program may

exceed revenues generated thus reducing the DGF’s ability to affect meaningful bene-

fits to Gould’s turkeys as well as other species management reliant on Game Protec-

tion Fund dollars.

•

This bill will not result in any meaningful implications to performance measures with

regard to turkey hunting opportunities or the DGF’s ability to develop recovery plans

for the Gould’s turkey.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The DGF believes that any funds raised through lottery and auction permits would not cover the

costs of the population monitoring efforts required to make hunting permits determination.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The DGF can perform the provisions of this bill with existing staff.

DW/lg:yr