Required tagging of alligators and hides; fees; revenues.

The tags provided in this section shall be required in addition to any license required under s. 379.3751.

(1) A person may not take any alligator occurring in the wild or possess any such alligator unless such alligator is subsequently tagged in the manner required by commission rule. For the tag required for an alligator hatchling, the commission is authorized to assess a fee of not more than $15 for each alligator hatchling tag issued.

(2) The commission may assess a fee of up to $30 for each alligator hide validation tag issued. Contingent upon an annual appropriation for alligator marketing and education activities, $5 per validated hide, excluding those validated from public hunt programs and alligator farms, shall be transferred from the alligator management program to the General Inspection Trust Fund, to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the purpose of providing marketing and education services with respect to alligator products produced in this state, notwithstanding other provisions in this chapter.

(3) A person who violates this section commits a Level Two violation under s. 379.401.