15A NCAC 10B .0117. REPLACEMENT COSTS OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES

(a)  Replacement Costs Distinguished.  As it applies to wildlife resources, the term "replacement costs" must be distinguished from the "value" of the wildlife concerned.  Except in cases where wild animals and wild birds may lawfully be sold on the open market, as with the carcasses or pelts of furbearing animals, the monetary value of the specimens cannot be determined easily.  The degree of special interest or concern in a particular species by the public, including not only hunters and trappers, but conservationists and those to whom the value of wildlife resources is primarily aesthetic, cannot be measured in dollar amounts.  The average cost per animal or bird legally taken by hunters, including travel and lodging, weapons and ammunition, excise taxes on equipment, licenses, and hunting club fees, may fairly be estimated.  This too, however, is a reflection of the value of existing wildlife resources rather than a measure of the cost of its replacement.  Thus, the relative values of wildlife species shall be considered only as they may bear on the necessity or desirability of actual replacement.

(b)  Factors to Be Considered.  The factors which shall be considered in determining the replacement costs of resident species of wildlife resources that have been taken, injured, removed, harmfully altered, damaged, or destroyed include the following:

(1)           whether the species is classified as endangered or threatened;

(2)           the relative frequency of occurrence of the species in the state;

(3)           the extent of existing habitat suitable for the species within the state;

(4)           the dependency of the species on unique habitat requirements;

(5)           the cost of acquiring, by purchase or long‑term lease, lands and waters for habitat development;

(6)           the cost of improving and maintaining suitable habitat for the species on lands and waters owned or acquired;

(7)           the cost of live‑trapping the species in areas of adequate populations and transplanting them to areas of suitable habitat with low populations;

(8)           the availability of the species and the cost of acquisition for restocking purposes;

(9)           the cost of rearing in captivity those species which, when released, have a probability of survival in the wild;

(10)         the ratio between the natural life expectancy of the species and the period of its probable survival when, having been reared in captivity, it is released to the wild;

(11)         the change in the value of money as reflected by the consumer price index.  Inflation costs are based on the consumer price index from the last update shown in Paragraph (c) of this Rule.

(c)  Costs of Replacement.  Based on the factors listed in Paragraph (b) of this Rule, including a June, 2001 update of the original figures using consumer price index from the June, 1980 base, the following wild animals and wild birds are listed with the estimated replacement cost of each individual specimen:

 

                                                                Species                                                   Replacement Cost

 

Any endangered species	$4,960.00
Any threatened species	4313.00
Any other species with no open season	54.00
Beaver	104.00
Black Bear	2232.00
Crow	4.00
Deer	602.00
Dove	13.00
Duck	41.00
Elk Fox	2500.00        88.00
Goose	125.00
Grouse	37.00
Mink	75.00
Muskrat	19.00
Nutria	15.00
Opossum	6.00
Otter	647.00
Pheasant	37.00
Quail	30.00
Rabbit	13.00
Raccoon	58.00
Rail	37.00
Skunk	19.00
Snipe	26.00
Squirrel, fox	54.00
Squirrel, gray and red	17.00
Tundra swan	1078.00
Weasel	11.00
Wild boar	755.00
Wildcat	647.00
Wild turkey	1617.00
Woodcock	26.00

 

(d)  Costs of Investigations

(1)           Factors to Be Considered.  Upon any investigation required as provided by G.S. 143‑215.3(a)(7) or by court order for the purpose of determining the cost of replacement of wildlife resources which have been killed, taken, injured, removed, harmfully altered, damaged, or destroyed, the factors to be considered in determining the cost of the investigation are as follows:

(A)          the time expended by the employee or employees making the investigation, including travel time between the place of usual employment and the site of the investigation, and the time required in formulating and rendering the report;

(B)          the cost of service to the state of each employee concerned, including annual salary, hospitalization insurance, and the state's contribution to social security taxes and to the applicable retirement system;

(C)          subsistence of the investigating personnel, including meals, reasonable gratuities, and lodging away from home, when required;

(D)          the cost of all necessary transportation;

(E)           the use or rental of boats and motors, when required;

(F)           the cost of cleaning or repairing any uniform or clothing that may be damaged, soiled or contaminated by reason of completing the investigation;

(G)          the cost of necessary telephonic communications;

(H)          any other expense directly related to and necessitated by the investigation.

(2)           Computation of Costs.  In assessing the cost of time expended in completing the investigation, the time expended by each person required to take part in the investigation shall be recorded in hours, the value of which shall be computed according to the ratio between the annual costs of service of the employee and his total annual working hours (2087 hours reduced by holidays, annual leave entitlement, and earned sick leave).  Other costs shall be assessed as follows:

(A)          subsistence:  the actual cost of meals, reasonable gratuities, and lodging away from home, not to exceed the then current maximum per diem for state employees;

(B)          transportation: total mileage by motor vehicle multiplied by:

(i)            the then current rate per mile for travel by state‑owned vehicle; or

(ii)           the then current rate per mile for travel by privately owned vehicle, as applicable;

(C)          boat and motor:  five dollars ($5.00) per hour;

(D)          uniform and clothing cleaning and repair: actual cost;

(E)           telephonic communications:  actual cost;

(F)           other expenses:  actual cost.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113‑134; 113‑267;

Eff. October 1, 1980;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2002; December 1, 1993; October 1, 1989.