TWRA approves fee increase for hunting, fishing licenses

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency approved a 29% increase to hunting and fishing licensing fees after passing its 2027-28 budget earlier this month. The increase is expected to generate an additional $12 million for the agency, which is struggling to shore up a multi-million dollar deficit in its Wildlife Fund. The fund is used to stock fish, maintain wildlife management areas and shooting ranges and pay for law enforcement operations. The changes are subject to approval by the Tennessee General Assembly. If approved, the popular Tennessee resident hunt-fish combo license annual fee would increase from $33 to $42, while the annual sportsman license would increase by a smaller percentage, from $165 to $185. The fees would go into effect July of next year at the earliest. Licenses would also be restructured in various ways in an effort to clarify and streamline the process. Under new rules, big game hunters would apply for licenses based on the game they hunt instead of the weapon they use. The Wildlife Fund is funded largely by revenue from hunting and fishing license fees. TWRA Business Operations Deputy Director Frank Fiss said the increases are an attempt to keep up with inflation, which is up 40% since the agency last increased license fees in 2015. "We're trying to provide services that sportsmen need, cutting where we can without people feeling it too bad, but we're getting to a point where we've got holes in our law enforcement, we don't have the staff that we would like to have for safety reasons," said Fiss. "And that's going to continue until we can get additional funding." Last February, TWRA Director Jason Maxedon warned lawmakers that the agency's Wildlife Fund would be depleted by fiscal year 2030 if nothing is done. Next year's Wildlife Fund is effectively about $42 million slimmer than it was the year before, coming in at $113 million for fiscal year 2027-28. Part of that difference includes a one-time state appropriation the agency received for last year's budget, as well as some $28 million in costs that were carried over from the previous year. Next year's budget cuts the Wildlife Fund's expenses by 3.6%, but not without some drawbacks. Fiss said there will be fewer management positions next year, along with less operating supplies and maintenance projects being put off. "The agency has cut a significant amount from its budget that will have real impacts upon the fish and aquatic life of this state," said Greg Davenport, chairman of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. "There's just a point where you have to have more money to provide the same level of service."