(A) Commercial fishing devices shall be annually licensed as follows:

(1) Trap and fyke nets, for the first twenty nets or any portion thereof, eight hundred dollars; and for each additional group of ten such nets or any portion thereof, four hundred dollars;

(2) For each seine of one hundred fifty rods or less in length other than an inland fishing district seine, four hundred dollars;

(3) For each seine over one hundred fifty rods in length other than an inland fishing district seine, six hundred dollars;

(4) For each inland fishing district seine, one hundred dollars;

(5) For each carp apron, one hundred dollars;

(6) For one trotline with seventy hooks or less attached thereto, twenty dollars;

(7) For each trotline, or trotlines, with a total of more than seventy hooks attached thereto, one hundred dollars.

The license fee for other commercial fishing gear not mentioned in this section, as approved by the chief of the division of wildlife, shall be set by the chief with approval of the wildlife council.

Commercial fishing gear owned or used by a nonresident may be licensed in this state only if a reciprocal agreement is in effect as provided for in section 1533.352 of the Revised Code.

All commercial license fees shall be paid upon application or shall be paid one-fourth upon application with the balance due and owing within ninety days of the date of application, except that those license fees of one hundred dollars or less shall be paid in full at the time of application.

(B) Royalty fees are hereby established on the following species of fish when taken commercially: catfish, white bass, and yellow perch.

The amount of the royalty fees shall be as follows: on the species taken for which an allowable catch or quota has been established by division rule, five cents per pound. On the species taken for which an allowable catch or quota has not been established by division rule, two cents per pound.

All royalty fees established or provided for in this section shall be paid by the license holder to the division. No person may be issued a commercial fishing license until all royalty fees due from that person for the preceding fishing season have been paid in full. The chief may request the attorney general to recover any royalty fee or amount thereof that is not paid by the opening date of the next fishing season, and the attorney general shall commence appropriate legal proceedings to recover the unpaid fee or amount.

All commercial fishing license moneys and all other fees collected from commercial fishers shall be deposited in the state treasury in accordance with section 1533.33 of the Revised Code.

No person shall fail to comply with any provision of this section or a division rule adopted pursuant to it.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003; 2007 SB77 10-10-2007 .