Will it cost more to hunt, fish in Sportsman's Paradise?

BATON ROUGE — Those who hunt and fish in the Sportsman's Paradise won't have to pay more for the privilege for now, but the legislator who proposed an overall fee increase warned of a reckoning.

Rep. Jerome "Zee" Zeringue's House Bill 687 that would have increased fees by about $6.6 million annually needed 70 votes, or two-thirds, for passage. It only mustered 54.

Zeringue's bill also would have consolidated the number of licenses from 117 to 30. Some fees would have also be lowered.

Without the increase, Zeringue said, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries could exhaust its Conservation Fund in four years and have to turn to the state for general fund support. LDWF currently operates on self-generated revenue.

"The reality is in four years they may be coming to us for funding," he said.

But opponent Rep. Blake Miguez, R-Erath, said Zeringue was misrepresenting the bill as a restructuring measure rather than one to increase fees.

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"This is a fee increase," said Miguez. "Do you know of other departments that have four years of reserve funds? This may be an issue in the future, but I don't think it's an issue today."

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet said during the bill's committee hearing the additional revenue is needed to keep the department viable in the next decade.

"We're submitting this proposal for the sustainability of the department for years to come," Montoucet said. "If we don't do something now we'll have to (eventually) go to the state for general fund dollars.

"This gives us a revenue source that's more sustainable and predictable."

Montoucet said by his calculations the department's Conservation Fund that primarily funds the agency "would be at ground zero" by 2021 or 2022 without some fee increases.

"Our objective is to maintain the level of services we provide," he said.

In committee, Miguez said the state shouldn't limit "the ability of my constituents to go out and enjoy the Sportsman's Paradise when you still have money in the Conservation Fund."

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1