So I just sent the following in to Rep Filippi - probably should have finished my coffee before trying to write something:
Quote:
Good morning Representative Filippi.
I want to respond to comments on how Rhode Island should change the Saltwater Fishing license program. I have heard various concerns about your approach to revising the RI Saltwater License. This program is required by the Federal Government for each state to create their own license to meet Federal requirements or to adopt the alternate existing Federal license.
At this time the, Rhode Island Saltwater Fishing license meets the Federal licensing mandate.
While I am opposed to the overall concept of paying (yet another) fee, especially for a right included in the State’s Constitution, the existing license does offer a few benefits, The existing license does give reciprocity to other neighboring states so I can use my RI license in Massachusetts and Connecticut without needing to purchase a much more expensive non-resident license in those states. The RI License also provides funds to a restricted Rhode Island account that is used to get Federal matching funds to benefit saltwater fisheries in Rhode Island.
We all know that the state would not replace those lost funds with funding from the general fund to maintain matching Federal money.
Several years back, extensive meetings were put in place and many stakeholder groups discussed this licensing issue at length. The end result was an inexpensive license that met Federal mandates, provided some funds for Saltwater Fisheries, and offered reciprocity to other local states burdened with the same Federal requirement. Any effort to supplant that existing license without extreme diligence and review would be a significant loss to our meager management system.
John Redmond
www.Striped-Bass.com
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MakoMike
FWIW, NY and some other states have a free registry (license)
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FWIW - RI would lose Federal Matching money as they would not replace what is lost - lousy position (as usual) to be in.