New today: RI Saltweater License Changes Imminient?

[JohnR]

I got this from Clammer, Jim White and a few others: From RISSA

Saltwater Anglers from Rhode Island,

Ignoring this message could see your RI saltwater fishing license go from $7 to $25.

Five Rhode Island State Representatives (Filippi, Reilly, Craven, Shekarchi and Price) have submitted a bill to repeal the “Recreational Saltwater Fishing License” that has been in effect since 2010. RISAA is opposed to repealing the license law and needs your help.
A HEARING ON THIS BILL IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW BEFORE THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.

If this bill is passed, every angler in Rhode Island would immediately be required to obtain a FEDERAL fishing permit at $25 (currently $7 in RI).
Anglers over 65 would have to purchase the FEDERAL permit at $25 (currently free in RI)
Reciprocity between states (RI-CT-MA-NY) would be lost to Rhode Islanders.

If this bill passes it will be a huge setback to fishing access, fish abundance and conservation in RI.

Here’s why this effort deserves our support and action

·The license bill was originally developed with RISAA support and support from the fishing/environmental community

·The Bill enabled RI anglers to register with the State rather than the federally mandated registry which costs nearly four times as much ($25 rather than $7 for State a license)

·Over the past two fiscal years the bill has or will turn $478,397 into nearly $2-million with Fish & Wildlife Service three to one matching funds (see full draft report attached).

·Funds raised are in a restricted account, much the same way freshwater and hunting license fees have been in restricted accounts for years. What is raised by license fees is spent on fishing and access to fishing. If these funds are eliminated, RI will lose out on Federal matching funds.

Projects completed in FY 2014 included personnel and equipment to support finfish surveys for stock assessments; management of the Marine Recreational Fisheries Program; support to the boating/fishing access site maintenance program; an upgrade to the Galilee boat ramp; public education, information, and outreach, including production of the Rhode Island Recreational Saltwater Fishing Guide; purchase of additional MRIP intercept interviews; and funds for an artificial reef project with DEM and The Nature Conservancy.

Projects planned for FY 2015 include: enhanced MRIP data collection; boating/fishing access projects such as the Godard State Park boat ramp; fish stock assessment support; support for the artificial reef .

In addition to providing funds for important fishing access projects the bill provides funding for important data collection projects that will provide better recreational data to make more informed recreational fishing decisions on minimum sizes, bag limits and fishing seasons. The hope is that better data will lead to more accurate fishery management strategies fostering greater fish abundance and liberalized regulations when appropriate.

The State Representatives submitting the bill have done in part because they believe recreational fishermen in Rhode Island do not want a license law and claim it impedes a fisherman’s right to fish because you have to pay for a license. The days of “cowboy fishing”, taking whatever you can take out of the water are gone. We have learned our fishery cannot handle this fishing pressure. Do individuals have the right to over fish certain species to the point of extinction? We do not think so.

Your support and action is needed today!

THE NEXT TWO MESSAGES WILL GIVE YOU A SAMPLE EMAIL TO SEND TO REPRESENTATIVES
AND WE WILL ALSO SUPPLY THEIR NAMES AND EMAILS.

IF YOU DON'T MIND PAYING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT $25 FOR A FISHING LICENSE THIS YEAR, THEN YOU CAN IGNORE THIS MESSAGE.
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