Trapping on state-owned land

In addition to the regulations in subsections (a) to (d) inclusive of section 26-66-5, the following regulations are in effect: (a) Definitions: As used in this section: (1) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Environmental Protection or his or her authorized representative; and, (2) "Unit or units" means property or portions thereof specifically identified by the commissioner. (b) No person shall trap on state-owned property without written authorization from the commissioner. Such authorization to trap on state-owned property shall be issued to all persons qualified pursuant to subsection (c) of this section in the order in which completed registration forms and required fees are recorded as received by the commissioner. (c) The Commissioner may authorize trapping on units of state-owned property during the open trapping seasons specified in section 26-66-7(b) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies by any person who: (1) submits proof of having a valid license to trap in Connecticut issued pursuant to section 26-27 of the Connecticut General Statutes; (2) submits proof of having a certificate of completion of the Connecticut Trapper Education Course as described in section 26-31(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes; (3) is 16 years of age or older; (4) certifies in writing on a form furnished by the commissioner that he or she has not been convicted of violating any Connecticut statute or regulation governing trapping during the previous three years' trapping seasons; and, (5) submits to the commissioner a completed registration form provided by the commissioner and the fee specified in subsection (d) of this section. (d) The fee to trap on each unit of state-owned property for a trapping season as defined in section 26-66-7(b) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies shall be sixty dollars per unit. This fee is non-refundable. (e) All trapping authorized under this section shall be confined within the boundaries of the unit described on the authorization issued by the commissioner. The authorization issued under this section is not transferable. (f) Any person authorized to trap on state-owned property shall maintain, for each unit, up-to-date, complete and accurate daily records of trapping activity on forms provided by the commissioner. Any person authorized to trap on state-owned property shall, while trapping, make such records available for inspection upon request by the commissioner. The daily records of trapping activity shall include the number of traps set each day and the number and species of animals caught each day. At any time during the trapping season, the commissioner may require that the daily records of trapping activity be submitted to the commissioner not more than three days after being requested. At the end of the trapping season, each person authorized to trap on state-owned property shall submit to the commissioner a completed season summary of the daily records of trapping activity for each unit on forms provided by the commissioner. The season summary for each unit shall be submitted to the commissioner not more than thirty days after the close of the season for which the authorization was issued. Any person failing to submit a complete season summary or provide daily records of trapping activity as requested shall not be issued an authorization to trap on any unit for the next season. (g) The commissioner may at any time: (1) revoke an authorization to trap for violating the terms of an authorization or any other statute or regulation governing trapping in the State of Connecticut, or any limitation imposed by the Commissioner under this subsection in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act; (2) prohibit trapping during specified dates and times; (3) close a unit or certain areas within a unit; (4) restrict the types of traps and their placement; and, (5) limit the number of a particular species that may be trapped. (h) Any person authorized by the commissioner to trap pursuant to this section may use assistants under the age of 16 provided that prior written authorization is obtained from the commissioner and the assistants meet the requirements of subsection (c)(1), (2) and (4) of this section. No fee shall be charged by the commissioner for such authorization. (i) For the purposes of wildlife management, the commissioner may remove any fur-bearing animal at any time from a unit.