Despite a nearly $18 billion state budget surplus, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz continues making the case for higher fees on fishing licenses, boat registrations and state parks.

He continued his push for including those fees in the new state budget by visiting a fish hatchery in St. Paul that is well over 100 years old and hasn’t had any major improvements since the late 1980s.

“It’s this generation’s time to invest in our 15 hatcheries,” the governor told reporters after touring the St. Paul fish hatchery.

The governor proposes increasing fishing license fees for Minnesota residents from $25 to $30, with bigger increases for non-residents. Fishing boat registration fees would go from $27 to $59 for 17-to-19-foot boats. Those boat fees are paid once every three years. An aquatic species fee would go from just over $10 to $20. State park fees would also go up, from $7 to $10 for daily fees and $35 to $45 for annual fees.

“What we can use one-time [surplus] money for like construction of these hatcheries, like the boat ramps, things like that, we’re going to,” Walz said when asked about why he’s proposing fee increases. “The fee increases are for the ongoing cost to make sure that the new laboratories, the new personnel, the new things are done.”

So far, the Minnesota House includes fee increases in its budget plan. The Senate does not but does include using surplus money for some one-time uses. Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Sarah Strommen is negotiating with House and Senate members.

“We’re hopeful that we will see full funding for the hatcheries, for the boat ramps and those fee increases to pay for the ongoing fisheries management needs that we have here with our staff,” she said at the news conference with the governor after the fish hatchery tour.

The deadline to pass a budget is May 22.