By Louie Stout
Boaters who plan to use Michigan DNR public accesses are reminded they will need to purchase the 2020 Recreation Passport Sticker.
Beginning this year, it’s required on nearly all lakes with state-owned access sites.
The Passport has always been required to enter the major, fee-based state-owned public accesses, such as in state parks and at Diamond Lake in Cass County. However, the DNR made it mandatory at all lakes, including the small, public lakes in southwest Michigan.
Last year was considered an “informational year,” meaning the DNR was getting the signs up and the information out. This year, it will be enforced.
The yearly sticker fee for non-residents is $34 or you can pay a daily fee of $9. For residents, the fee is $12, up from $11 last year. Residents receive a small “P” that is placed on their vehicle license plates. Non-residents receive a window sticker.
You can purchase the Passport at any Michigan State Park, online at Michigan.gov/dnr (click on the Passport logo), or call 517-284-7275.
The Passport gets you into Michigan State Parks, recreation areas, and campgrounds as well as boat launches.
Michigan Parks & Recreation Chief Ron Olson said it will only be enforced where the signs are posted, but “we are trying to get them up on all launches.”
The new requirement has not set well with non-resident anglers who also are required to buy a $76 fishing license. So to fish Michigan, it will cost you $110 per year.
However, Olson contends Hoosiers don’t pay Michigan’s boat registration fees that residents do. Passport fees help finance boat launch maintenance and construction, he added.
“None of the fishing license money goes to public access,” he added. “The Passport money is used to maintain and improve state recreational facilities.”
His point may be valid but resident kayak and canoe owners who are using those same accesses don’t pay registration, either. In fact, boat registration isn’t required on non-motorized vessels in Michigan or Indiana.
Those boaters are using the same public access sites as motor boaters but they aren’t required to register their vessels.
Why is that?
In Michigan, registration fees for power boats under 16 feet $14 and it costs $42 for boats 16 to 21 feet every three years. In Indiana, boats under 13 feet pay $15 while 13 to 26 footers pay $18 annually, plus applicable taxes.
If the states did implement registration fees on non-motorized crafts, they should also be required to dedicate those additional funds to some tangible benefits for all boaters.
But I’m betting they won’t.