(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (h) or (i) of this section and other provisions of this chapter providing specific license exemption, no person shall take, hunt or trap, or shall attempt to take, hunt or trap, or assist in taking, hunting or trapping, any wild bird or mammal and no person sixteen years of age or older shall take, attempt to take, or assist in taking any fish or bait species in the inland waters or marine district by any method or land marine fish and bait species in the state, regardless of where such marine fish or bait species are taken, without first having obtained a license as provided in this chapter. No person under sixteen years of age shall hunt or trap, except as provided in section 26-38.

(b) Any landowner who has a domiciliary residence in this state, such landowner's spouse or lineal descendants may hunt, trap or fish on land owned by such landowner or on land leased by such landowner and on which such landowner is actually domiciled, which land is not used for club, fishing or hunting purposes, without a license, subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(c) No fishing license shall be required for any person who is rowing a boat or operating the motor of a boat from which other persons are taking or attempting to take fish.

(d) The taking of fish and bait species as herein provided shall be regarded as sport fishing and the taking or landing of such species in the inland waters or marine district by commercial methods for commercial purposes shall be governed by other provisions of this chapter.

(e) No fishing license shall be required for any resident of the state who is participating in a fishing derby authorized in writing by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection provided (1) no fees are charged for such derby, (2) such derby has a duration of one day or less, and (3) such derby is sponsored by a nonprofit civic service organization. Such organization shall be limited to one derby in any calendar year.

(f) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall designate one day in each calendar year when no license shall be required for sport fishing.

(g) No fishing license shall be required for any person who is fishing as a passenger on a party or charter fishing vessel registered under section 26-142a and operating solely in the marine district.

(h) No fishing license shall be required for any person who participates in a fishing event conducted by an organization that receives a group fishing license, as provided in subsection (h) of section 26-30, provided any person who participates in such group fishing event shall be subject to all other provisions of the general statutes and the regulations of Connecticut state agencies that relate to fishing.

(i) No fishing license shall be required for any student who attends a secondary school located in this state when such student is participating in a fishing event or field trip authorized, in writing, by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection provided (1) such fishing event or field trip is conducted by such secondary school, (2) the purpose of such fishing event or field trip is to provide instruction in fishing techniques, and (3) the fishing event or field trip is a component of a course of instruction conducted by such secondary school. Any secondary school that seeks to conduct such a fishing event or field trip shall apply for authorization on a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall provide such information as required by the commissioner.

(1949 Rev., S. 4868; 1957, P.A. 348, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 71, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 148; P.A. 76-131, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-298, S. 1, 9; P.A. 82-366, S. 2; P.A. 83-191, S. 1, 9; P.A. 85-53, S. 3; P.A. 87-30, S. 1, 2; P.A. 05-288, S. 117; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 439; P.A. 10-106, S. 12; P.A. 11-74, S. 8; 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 14-201, S. 1; P.A. 15-52, S. 6.)

History: 1967 act deleted prohibition in Subsec. (a) against persons under sixteen trapping without a license; 1971 act prohibited attempting to take, hunt or trap birds or quadrupeds and attempting to take fish or bait species in Subsec. (a); P.A. 76-131 added Subsec. (e) re exemption from licensing requirements for participants in fishing derbies; P.A. 81-298 substituted “sixteen years of age or over” for “over sixteen years” in Subsec. (a) provision requiring license to hunt, trap or fish and prohibited trapping as well as hunting by those under sixteen except as provided in Sec. 26-38; P.A. 82-366 amended Subsec. (a) to be consistent with new license categories established by Sec. 26-27a; P.A. 83-191 amended Subsec. (a) to exempt persons under 16 years of age from the requirement of a fishing license; P.A. 85-53 substituted “mammal” for “quadruped” in Subsec. (a); P.A. 87-30 added Subsec. (f) authorizing the commissioner to designate a free fishing day; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective July 13, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re taking in marine district and landing marine fish and bait species, amended Subsec. (d) by adding “or landing” and “or marine district” and added Subsec. (g) re fishing as a boat passenger; P.A. 10-106 amended Subsec. (a) by adding references to Subsecs. (g) and (h), amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes and added Subsec. (h) re exception for person who participates in fishing event conducted by organization that receives group fishing license, effective June 21, 2010; P.A. 11-74 amended Subsec. (f) by changing “may” to “shall” re designation of day; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsecs. (e) and (f), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 14-201 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Subsec. (i) and changing “person more than sixteen years of age” to “person sixteen years of age or older” and added Subsec. (i) re exemption to fishing license requirement for any student attending a secondary school when participating in fishing event or field trip authorized by commissioner, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 15-52 amended Subsec. (g) by changing “party boat, charter boat or head boat” to “party or charter fishing vessel”, effective January 1, 2016.

See Sec. 26-99 re establishment of fish and game refuges.

Cited. 124 C. 280.

Cited. 2 Conn. Cir. Ct. 461.