HB 1833 — creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

HB 1833-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED SESSIONBY 26-2886THE 08/06 HOUSE BILL11Mar2026... 1833-FN AN ACT creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

0700h SESSION 26-2886 08/06 HOUSE BILL 1833-FN AN ACT creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

HB 1833-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED 26-2886BY 08/06THE STATEHOUSE OF11Mar2026... NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

0700h 26-2886 08/06 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

This license shall only be valid for 10 days from the startingdates date of the eligible tuna tournament.tournament, not to exceed 10 days.

The executive director shall establish a surcharge on each license issued under this section of $15not more than $25, nor less than $10, to be deposited in the derelict fishing gear and coastal cleanup fund established in RSA 211:77 and shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A for implementing and collecting the surcharge.

In addition, the defendant's catch shall be confiscated and sold according to rules adopted by the executive director pursuant to RSA HB 1833-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED BY THE HOUSE - Page 2 - 541-A, the proceeds of such sale shall become the property of the New Hampshire fish and game department.

LBA 26-2886 Revised03/19/2026 1/12/26 HB 1833-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0700h) AN ACT creating a special license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.

TheEstimated LegislativeState BudgetImpact AssistantFY has2026 determinedFY that2027 thisFY legislation2028 hasFY a2029 totalRevenue fiscal$0 impactIndeterminable ofRevenue lessFund thanDerelict $10,000Fishing Gear and Coastal Cleanup Fund Fish and Game System Costs - $15,000 to $25,000 in eachFY 2027 Expenditures* $0 Criminal Penalty Related Costs - Indeterminable Funding Source Fish and Game Fund, General Fund Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source None *Expenditure = Cost of thebill fiscal*Appropriation years= Authorized funding to cover cost of bill Estimated Political Subdivision Impact FY 2026 throughFY 2029.2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures $0 Indeterminable Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Expenditures $0 Indeterminable   METHODOLOGY:

AGENCIESThis CONTACTED:bill establishes a new special tuna license for nonresidents who take, possess, land, transport, or sell tuna in connection with a tuna tournament involving New Hampshire waters.

The license must be obtained from the Fish and Game Department and is issued to a nonresident vessel operator participating in a qualifying nonprofit-sponsored tournament.

A license is valid only for the tournament dates, not to exceed 10 days, and authorizes the commercial handling of tuna only.

The Executive Director is authorized to set the license fee and must impose a $10 to $25 surcharge to support the Derelict Fishing Gear and Coastal Cleanup Fund, with exemptions available for participants in approved coastal cleanup programs.

As this bill would create a new license type that does not currently exist, the Department states it would need to create a new license type within the licensing system and build functionality to track tournament-specific license validity periods.

While the Department cannot estimate the exact cost for changes to the licensing database and related infrastructure to add a new license type, based on recent experience, similar system modifications have cost the Department over $20,000.

A comparable range of $15,000 to $25,000 is a reasonable estimate for this work.

The Department states that the revenue impact of this bill is indeterminable.

Currently, it issues nonresident commercial saltwater licenses at a fee of $500, and in licensing years 2023 and 2024, 16 nonresident licensees who targeted tuna generated approximately $8,000 in annual revenue.

The Department cannot determine whether these individuals were participating in tuna tournaments, nor can it estimate how many would seek the proposed special tuna tournament license or whether additional operators would apply.

Because the fee for the new license would be set through administrative rulemaking, potential revenue is uncertain.

To avoid a net loss, revenue from the new license would need to exceed current collections and cover any costs associated with system changes and additional staff time.

Also, this bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation.

Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments.

A summary of such costs can be found at:

https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Fish and Game Department, Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association