Endangered Species - Enforcement and Penalties - Wisconsin

(5) Enforcement.

(a)

1. Whoever violates sub. (4) (a) shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $2,000. In addition, the court shall order the revocation of all hunting approvals issued to the person under this chapter and shall prohibit the issuance of any new hunting approvals under this chapter for one year. Whoever intentionally violates sub. (4) (a) shall be fined not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both. In addition, the court shall order the revocation of all hunting approvals issued to the person under this chapter and shall prohibit the issuance of any new hunting approvals under this chapter for 3 years.

2. Whoever violates sub. (4) (b) or (c) shall forfeit not more than $1,000. Whoever intentionally violates sub. (4) (b) or (c) shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both.

(b) Any officer employed and authorized by the department, or any police officer of this state or of any municipality or county within this state, shall have the authority to execute a warrant to search for and seize any goods, business records, merchandise or wild animal or wild plant taken, employed, used or possessed in violation of this section. Any such officer or agent may, without a warrant arrest any person whom the officer or agent has probable cause to believe is violating this section in his or her presence or view. An officer or agent who has made an arrest of a person in connection with any violation under this section may search the person or business records at the time of arrest and seize any wild animals and wild plants, records, or property taken, used or employed in connection with any violation.

(c) Goods, merchandise, wild animals, wild plants or records seized under par. (b) shall be held by an officer or agent of the department pending disposition of court proceedings and shall be forfeited to the state for destruction or disposition as the department determines to be appropriate. Prior to forfeiture, the department may direct the transfer of wild animals or wild plants so seized to a qualified zoological, educational or scientific institution or qualified private propagator for safekeeping with costs assessable to the defendant...

(6r) Agency activities...

(c) The department shall notify the state agency if the department determines that there is reasonable cause for the department to determine that an activity by the state agency is not being carried out in compliance with this subsection or with any environmental protection requirements developed through interagency consultation procedures. If the secretary of natural resources and the head, as defined in s. 15.01(8), of the state agency are unable to agree upon methods or time schedules to be used to correct the alleged noncompliance, the department may bring any action or initiate any other proceedings to enforce compliance with this subsection...

(7m) Bulk sampling activities. A person may take, transport, or possess a wild animal on the department's endangered and threatened species list without a permit under this section if the person avoids and minimizes adverse impacts to the wild animal to the extent practicable, if the taking, transporting, or possession does not result in wounding or killing the wild animal, and if the person takes, transports, or possesses the wild animal for the purpose of bulk sampling activities under s. 295.45.

(8) Exemptions. This section does not apply to zoological societies or municipal zoos, or to their officers or employees.

Citation: W.S.A. 29.604.

...(4) Assistant clam buyers.

(a) A licensed clam buyer may employ or authorize assistant clam buyers to buy clams. Upon proper application, the department shall issue no more than 10 assistant clam buyer licenses with a clam buyer license. Each assistant clam buyer license shall have printed on it the number of the clam buyer license for which it is issued.

(b) A natural person may be issued an assistant clam buyer license for each licensed clam buyer who employs or authorizes the natural person to buy clams.

(c) A licensed clam buyer is responsible for all acts relating to clamming performed by the assistant clam buyers engaged in clam buying activities for the clam buyer. A clam buyer may be charged with and penalized for a violation of this section committed by the assistant clam buyer while the assistant clam buyer is engaged in clam buying activities for the clam buyer.

(d) Upon revocation of a clam buyer license, all assistant clam buyer licenses issued under the clam buyer license shall also be revoked.

(5) Clam helpers.

(a) A licensed commercial clam sheller or a licensed clam buyer may employ or authorize a clam helper to assist him or her in activities related to commercial clam shelling or clam buying, but no clam helper may buy, barter or obtain clams from commercial clam shellers or others for resale as clams. Upon proper application, the department shall issue no more than 10 clam helper licenses with each commercial clam sheller license or with each clam buyer license. Each clam helper license shall have printed on it the number of the commercial clam sheller license or clam buyer license for which it is issued.

(b) A natural person may be issued a clam helper license for each licensed commercial clam sheller or licensed clam buyer who employs or authorizes the natural person to engage in clam helping.

(c) A licensed commercial clam sheller or licensed clam buyer is responsible for all acts relating to clamming performed by the clam helpers engaged in clam helping for the commercial clam sheller or clam buyer. A commercial clam sheller or clam buyer may be charged with and penalized for a violation of this section committed by the clam helper while the clam helper is engaged in clam helping for the commercial clam sheller or clam buyer.

(d) Upon revocation of a commercial clam sheller license or clam buyer license, all clam helper licenses issued under the commercial clam sheller license or the clam buyer license shall also be revoked.

(6) Inspection; access to records.

(a) Except as provided in par. (d), for purposes of enforcement of this section, wardens or department employees authorized and designated by the secretary, upon presenting appropriate credentials to the licensee or agent in charge, are authorized to do all of the following:

1. Enter any place, building or structure, excluding a dwelling place, in which clams or clamming equipment are stored, processed, packed or held and enter any boat or vehicle being used to transport clams or clamming equipment when the licensee or agent in charge is present or upon 8 hours' notice at other times.

2. Inspect places, buildings, structures, boats or vehicles, all pertinent equipment used or stored in the places to be inspected and any clams stored, processed, packed or held in the places to be inspected.

(b) No licensee, operator of a vehicle or boat for the licensee, or employee acting on behalf of the licensee may prohibit entry or prohibit an inspection from being conducted as authorized under par. (a).

(c) The department may examine any records relating to clamming or to commercial clamming.

(d) The department may not conduct an inspection or examine a person's records under this section if such action has been lawfully enjoined by a court order.

Citation: W.S.A. 29.537.

(1) Levy of wild animal protection assessment.

(a) If a court imposes a fine or forfeiture for a violation of a provision of this chapter or an order issued under this chapter for the unlawful killing, wounding, catching, taking, trapping, or possession of a wild animal specified in par. (b), or any part of such a wild animal, the court may impose a wild animal protection surcharge under ch. 814 that equals the amount specified for the wild animal under par. (b).

(b) The amount of the wild animal protection surcharge imposed under ch. 814 shall be as follows:

1. For any wild animal that is an endangered species protected under s. 29.604, $875...

Citation: W.S.A. 29.983.