Registered with the Feds....

[Mr. Sandman]

Well I think you might be better off not registering everyone. By increasing the number of fishermen (many of whom may never actually fish) these numbers will be used to estimate how many fish are killed. If you put down everyone in your immediate family as a "just in case" and because it is free...you are basically providing bad info which will be used to make regulations, reducing the rec take because of all these fishermen. The assumptions are steep. I have been at fluke meetings...some assume we recs fish 7 days a week taking our limit each day.
I think you need to attache $$$ to each lic to get real number of fishermen. If they charged you 80 bucks per fisherman you are not going to register those who might not fish. You will wait till the last minute.

My bet is the number of fishermen is reduced next year.

Also, I bet you get nasty emails from the government next season if you registered this year and declined next year when the fees kick in. The fed info will be shared with the states. This is not a well thought out plan. Has a "Big Brother" feel to it. I don't think it will do enough for the fish.

And as for where the money goes...what major projects have they done with the 10% fishing tax now on all tackle sold? How have I benifited from the tax?

There will be no more enforcent than what we have now...in fact from what I have seen numbers of enforecement persons at least in my neck of the woods is being reduced. Cops we have plenty but on the water enforcement is another story.