(a) Permit required.--No person shall fish in Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries, including waters that flow into those tributaries, without first procuring an annual special permit for such fishing or the combination trout/salmon/Lake Erie permit.

(b) Fee.--The annual fee and the issuing agent fee for the special permit issued in this section shall be as provided in section 2715 (relating to license, permit and issuing agent fees).

(c) Exemptions.--Persons entitled to free fishing licenses under section 2707 (relating to disabled veterans) and persons exempt from fishing license requirements under Chapter 27 (relating to fishing licenses) are exempt from the requirements of this section. Holders of Senior Resident Lifetime Fishing Licenses issued under section 2701 (relating to resident fishing licenses) shall meet the requirements of this section by purchasing one annual special permit which shall be valid for the licensee's lifetime.

(d) Regulations.--The commission may promulgate regulations for the display of the special permit and manner in which it may be affixed to the fishing license or carried with the licensee.

(e) Penalty.--Any person violating the provisions of this section or the regulations promulgated hereunder commits a summary offense of the third degree.

(f) Proceeds from special permit.--(Deleted by amendment).

(f.1) Lake Erie permits.--The proceeds from the fees for the special Lake Erie fishing permits as provided for under section 2715(a.1)(4) (relating to license, permit and issuing agent fees) and $6 of the fees for the combination trout/salmon permits and Lake Erie permits as provided for under section 2715(a.1)(5) shall be deposited into a restricted account within the Fish Fund. The restricted account shall be used to provide public fishing access or to protect or improve fish habitat on or at Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries, including waters that flow into those tributaries.

(g) Termination of permit requirement.--(Deleted by amendment).

(h) Accounting.--(Deleted by amendment).

(Oct. 5, 1994, P.L.534, No.79, eff. imd.; June 29, 2002, P.L.672, No.101, eff. imd.; Nov. 29, 2004, P.L.1286, No.159, eff. imd.; Aug. 27, 2009, P.L.377, No.40, eff. 60 days; Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1323, No.167, eff. imd.)

2012 Amendment. Act 167 amended subsec. (f.1).

2009 Amendment. Act 40 amended subsecs. (a) and (f.1).

2004 Amendment. Section 7 of Act 159 provided that Act 159 shall apply to all fees for licenses and permits issued on or after January 1, 2005.