Subd. 1. Identification required.

All shelters on the ice of state waters, including dark houses and fish houses, must have: (1) the owner's name and address, (2) the owner's driver's license number, or (3) the "MDNR#" license identification number issued to the owner legibly displayed on the exterior with characters at least two inches high.

Subd. 2. License required.

A person may not take fish from a dark house or fish house unless the house is licensed and has a license tag attached to the exterior in a readily visible location, except as provided in this subdivision. The commissioner must issue a tag with a dark house or fish house license, marked with a number to correspond with the license and the year of issue. A dark house or fish house license is not required of a resident on boundary waters where the adjacent state does not charge a fee for the same activity.

Subd. 3. Door must open from outside.

A person may not use a dark house or fish house unless the door is constructed so that it can be opened from the outside when it is in use.

Subd. 4. Distance between houses.

A person may not erect a dark house or fish house within ten feet of an existing dark house or fish house.

Subd. 5. Burning of structures.

A person may not burn a structure on the ice of state waters without permission of the commissioner. The commissioner may allow burning only after determining that the structure cannot be removed from the ice by another reasonable manner. The owner must remove the remains of the burned structure from the ice.

Subd. 6. Restrictions for nonresidents.

A nonresident may obtain a license for a fish house but the house may not be unattended.

Subd. 7. Dates and times houses may remain on ice.

1. (a) A fish house or dark house may not be on the ice between 12:00 a.m. and one hour before sunrise after the following dates:

   1. (1) the last day of February, for state waters south of a line starting at the Minnesota-North Dakota border and formed by rights-of-way of U.S. Route No. 10, then east along U.S. Route No. 10 to Trunk Highway No. 34, then east along Trunk Highway No. 34 to Trunk Highway No. 200, then east along Trunk Highway No. 200 to U.S. Route No. 2, then east along U.S. Route No. 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border; and

   2. (2) March 15, for other state waters.

      A fish house or dark house on the ice in violation of this subdivision is subject to the enforcement provisions of paragraph (b). The commissioner may, by rule, change the dates in this paragraph for any part of state waters. Copies of the rule must be conspicuously posted on the shores of the waters as prescribed by the commissioner.

2. (b) A conservation officer must confiscate a fish house or dark house in violation of paragraph (a). The officer may remove, burn, or destroy the house. The officer shall seize the contents of the house and hold them for 60 days. If the seized articles have not been claimed by the owner, they may be retained for the use of the division or sold at the highest price obtainable in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
3. (c) When the last day of February, under paragraph (a), clause (1), or March 15, under paragraph (a), clause (2), falls on a Saturday, a fish house or dark house may be on the ice between 12:00 a.m. and one hour before sunrise until 12:00 a.m. the following Monday.

Subd. 7a. Houses left overnight.

A fish house or dark house left on the ice overnight must be marked with reflective material on each side of the house. The reflective material must measure a total area of no less than two square inches on each side of the house. Violation of this subdivision is not subject to subdivision 8 or section 97A.301.

Subd. 8. Confiscation of unlawful structures.

Structures on the ice in violation of this section may be confiscated and disposed of, retained by the division, or sold at the highest price obtainable, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.