Saltwater fishing license……Why or why not?

[MikeToole]

Congress, through the recently reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act, called on NOAA to take the lead in creating a national registry of saltwater anglers. This requires a tracking system for people fishing in federal waters and in state waters when fishing for anadromous species (stripers). The law does not require a license but how else do you think the states will handle it. Below is from a document trying to explain the requirement:

"Don’t most states already have a saltwater fishing license?
Many states do have some kind of fishing license for saltwater anglers. In those states, the actual requirements for who has to have a license vary from state to state. States that are currently without any saltwater fishing license include Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii and the western Pacific and Caribbean territories.

Are there any exemptions from the federal registry requirement?
Yes, Congress gave anglers who are licensed or registered by the states an exemption from the federal requirement, but only if a state can provide NOAA with certain information about anglers in their state. The Magnuson-Stevens Act says that a state can get a pass on the federal registry if 1) it already has a program to count all of its saltwater anglers (e.g. through a comprehensive saltwater fishing license) or 2) “the Secretary of Commerce determines that information from the State program is suitable for the Secretary’s use or is used to assist in completing marine recreational fisheries statistical surveys, or evaluating the effects of proposed conservation and management measures for marine recreational fisheries.” In other words, the state has to be able to either account for their anglers themselves or provide information on their fishing activity to the federal government. "

[numbskull]

Documenting the numbers of voters involved in recreational saltwater fishing will likely have a huge ancillary benefit.

[tattoobob]

The only problem I have is it's a big ocean and I fish NH, Mass, & RI
Does this mean I have to buy 3 states Licenses? if so I am against it.

If it does work for multiple states and the money goes to the right place and fund the sportsman funds then I will want it.

Just think of all the extra money made buy fining none license holders

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Documenting the numbers of voters involved in recreational saltwater fishing will likely have a huge ancillary benefit.

Exactly. People keep calling it "another tax" but it really isn't. Its ammunition for the recreational fishery. Its ammunition to eliminate habitat destruction and by catch in our waters too by commercial netters/draggers. It’s happened in other states like Florida and Texas already. Guess who the most outspoken opponents were to the license in those states? The commercials were due to the perceived threat (which later materialized into reality) to their livelihoods.
Bottom line is that it makes sense to support a license for our own good. What will happen is that eventually the federal registry will lead to a federal license for us. Our license dollars will go directly to the feds and never be seen again. Take this thing on a local level and keep the control on a local level with a state license. To me if you are a recreational fisherman and oppose a state license, you haven’t done your homework on the subject or you've been mislead.
Oh yeah, I'm not anti commercial, but the wrong gear usage in the wrong place at the wrong time is one of the things that needs to be addressed further. Look at our cod stocks, or what used to be cod stocks.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Documenting the numbers of voters involved in recreational saltwater fishing will likely have a huge ancillary benefit.

That's the biggest benefit to a license, and the one that 90% of the people don't realize

[piemma]

I realize that there is a fear of any regulatory body and a saltwater license in just one more example of Big Brother gaining another way to gain control. Never the less, it is coming and, if we are smart, we will have some say in how the resulting funds are used. The recreational fishing community has a lot of pull and can effect how the monies are allocated.

[wheresmy50]

Originally Posted by Mike P

That's the biggest benefit to a license, and the one that 90% of the people don't realize

I completely disagree that somehow licensing is going to make people realize how important saltwater surf fishermen are and we'll start getting more access (or whatever). No one cares about our pennies. They care about the influence of wealthy property owners.

Hunters pay for licenses and get treated like child molesters. If freshwater fishermen get anything, it's because of stocking and the gillions of dollars they spend on tackle. Also, anyone who thinks there's going to be one license in a state for fresh and salt or reciprocity has a lot more confidence in government than I do. They're going to have a separate license or a stamp, and each state will have their own. Then in a few years you'll need a separate striper stamp, then a fluke stamp, bonito stamp, albacore stamp, crab stamp, etc, etc, etc.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by MikeToole

"Don’t most states already have a saltwater fishing license?
Many states do have some kind of fishing license for saltwater anglers. In those states, the actual requirements for who has to have a license vary from state to state. States that are currently without any saltwater fishing license include Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Oregon, Hawaii and the western Pacific and Caribbean territories.

Those that do are Alaska, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, California, and Washington

11 don't have them and 12 do, and Alabama isn't even a coastal state (their license is for Mobile bay only).....that Most States comment is a little suspect.

so that's a 50/50 split between the coastal states.

I prefer to keep my money in my pocket...I don't need to dish out yet another licensing fee. I already buy Freshwater liceneses for 3 state...I don't need to buy 3 or 4 more for the Saltwater access.

[MikeToole]

[QUOTE=The Dad Fisherman;550286]
11 don't have them and 12 do, and Alabama isn't even a coastal state (their license is for Mobile bay only).....that Most States comment is a little suspect.

You miss read what was posted. The site I got the information from was in a question/answer format. The question was " Don't most states already have a saltwater license?". The answer followed noting which ones don't.

Be that as it may, the feds gave the states an excuse to put a license in place and be able to blame someone else. So we will be getting them no later than the end of 2009.

[Pete F.]

[QUOTE=MikeToole;550375]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

11 don't have them and 12 do, and Alabama isn't even a coastal state (their license is for Mobile bay only).....that Most States comment is a little suspect.

You miss read what was posted. The site I got the information from was in a question/answer format. The question was " Don't most states already have a saltwater license?". The answer followed noting which ones don't.

Be that as it may, the feds gave the states an excuse to put a license in place and be able to blame someone else. So we will be getting them no later than the end of 2009.

Not only that but in the states without Vermont is counted, I will have to go and check but I have yet to find any saltwater here, unless it's in the spaghetti pot.

[MakoMike]

Its a done deal, the feds have already seen to that. Now we just have to work out the details. Reciprocity among all the atlantic states is paramount for me. I don't want to have to buy five o more seperate licenses. That should be doable, since the feds don't want to have the same people multiple times in their database, we need to get the feds to speficiy that the state licenses must be reciprocal in order for them to qulaify as exempting the state from the federal licensing requirements.

[EarnedStripes44]

i'd rather they bring back Atlantic Salmon. There used to be Salmon almost every river north of Long Island.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by EarnedStripes44

i'd rather they bring back Atlantic Salmon. There used to be Salmon almost every river north of Long Island.

Wow.
you lost me on that one.

[RIJIMMY]

IM POd that the feds want to know if i fish or not, none of ther GD business!

[Mike J.]

Having been stationed with the Navy in alot of states that require a license to fish the salt, I have seen the Pro's and Con's. The biggest concern anywhere is where the money collected for the license will be utilized.

"Pro" if it will be used to improve the access points, Ramps and enforcement of recreational angling .

"Con" = it ends up in the general fund, the fishermen will never see a penny put into to recreational fisheries, enforcement etc.

I just left Virginia and they required a license, and by law, the money was soley used for the improvement and enforcement of recreational angling, You could buy a license for a boat and that license covered everybody fishing in the boat and the owner could go surf fishing and still be covered by the boats license. This helped the charter boat industry from having to increase their fees and adding on a 1 day license for each angler onboard.

Also the state owned boat ramps charged to launch a boat(Nice Facilities) but if you had a fishing license the fee was reduced. the jet skiers and pleasure boaters had to pay double to launch since they didn't contribute to the construction and maintenance of the Ramp.

It's coming, No doubt about it. One way or the other we all will be digging deeper into our wallets!!

[Gunpowder]

ill move to antartica before i have to pay for a saltwater license

[Pete F.]

I'd gladly pay for one, just have a hard time justifying 5.
Might be better for me if I stuck to fewer spots anyways

[macojoe]

I for one will never pay!!

Everything cost all the time now!!

Is the ocean man made? NO!!

Are the fish stocked?? NO!!

Are the State ramps I paid for free?? NO!!

If I pay for a lic. will I get to use them for free?? NO!!

Are we going to get more state ramps?? Are they going to remain state ramps, or be given to the town after a while and then be for res. only??

I pay for a beach sticker that I can't use 1/2 the time because of birds, is that going to be free?? NO!!

Are we going to get more shore access? NO!!

Is the state going to band dragger's to the 3 mile limit to protect the inshore fishery so that we have fish to catch?? Cause at this rate we will be paying $$ to fish for nothing!!

So what am I going to get for my money?? Nothing thats what!! Just going to line the pockets of the state thats it!!
And once we say yes one time then we are going to have to pay increased fees all the time not to mention all the new fee's that will be made cause of this fee!

Nope you are never going to see me pay for my god given right to fish a god given natural resource!

This is a free country suposeably!! So I say let the people decide!! Thats the way it works!! Tired of all these taxes and stuff just shoved in are face and just have to lay down and suck it up!

FIGHT FOR ARE LAST FREE RESOURCE!! DON"T JUST LAY THERE AND TAKE IT!!

Ok I am getting mad now!

[WadingWill]

My problem with this is that they can't enforce the regulations they already have, how can they enforce this? How many times have you been to jetties in ri and seen guys with buckets full of 4 and 5" scup? You think those guys will buy licenses? You think they'll fish any less? I don't. Just another way for the gov't to fleece us. If getting licenses meant they'd have more people to enforce the laws, I'd be all for it, but as it is they're spread to thin. I'm dead set agianst this.

[5/0]

Originally Posted by WadingWill

My problem with this is that they can't enforce the regulations they already have, how can they enforce this? How many times have you been to jetties in ri and seen guys with buckets full of 4 and 5" scup? You think those guys will buy licenses? You think they'll fish any less? I don't. Just another way for the gov't to fleece us. If getting licenses meant they'd have more people to enforce the laws, I'd be all for it, but as it is they're spread to thin. I'm dead set agianst this.

That's how I feel about it too,there are alot of "these"people who supposedly don't speaka da english and poach away with everything & anything they catch,it makes me

If the state elects to pass this,will there be enough Badges to enforce it,or will Massachusetts pull the usual....line there pockets,then tell us we don't have enough to "Truly enforce"!

Sorry,IMI have No Faith for the politicians here in MA. C'ome on look @ Deval what a Fu(king joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


5/0

[wheresmy50]

I've vented about this before, so I'll be more concise for this thread.

If I lived in a land of fantasy, and the money from said license went to better enforecement, better research, stocking??, etc., then I'm all for it.

I've lived in RI and MA, and I don't trust either state with public money. I've never lived in NJ, but the same goes there. On top of that, I'm from PA and fish in NJ, RI, and MA, so what I am supposed to do, pay 3 for 3 licenses to fish in the same "pond"?

Federal is the only way to go, since at least then I'll only have to pay once, and I'm convinced the money will be wasted anyway.

[eagerangler]

You guys seem to have a lot of political views on the subject. As a CT residence my friends and I are all for a saltwater license. Right now the DEP of CT is putting regulations on Strippers that are basic guestimations of what would promote a healthy fishery and boy are things starting to turn into a mess. The stripper population is starting to make a serious come back in all our tidal rivers and as a result other fisheries are starting to be deplited.

The alwifes of our state are all but extinct due to wide use as a bait fish that went unregulated for too long and with strippers populations growing in these areas their almost all gone. The strippers are also believed to be eating other fresh water species such as white perch, the american eel and many of the predominant game species such as larger mouth bass. Can you believe that one of our nuceular power plants, as part of it's environmental contribution, is developing a lock system for the Housatonic river to keep them from being so severly depleted.
The point I'm making in all of this is the DEP in this state needs significant funding in order to observe and tabulate appropriate actions in this state to keep and maintain a healthy fishery. The stripers are great no complaints here but if the bait fish aren't around then how long will they stick around for. Hell, even seeing a school of bunker around here is becoming a fluke as opposed to the everyday occurance that I remember growing up. I think a saltwater license is the least that I can do on my part.

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by eagerangler

The stripper population is starting to make a serious come back...

i wish strippers were making a comeback

[Tagger]

No ... Get Your Hand Out of My Pocket !!!! You get paid .. you pay taxes ,, state, fed ,,That should be it .. But No ... you keep paying with that same money getting taxed over and over again..sales ,excise,luxury... How far can you strech your pay check, paying taxes infinite amount of times with the same money . Did I say gas ? I would like to know for real, what a person ends up paying in taxes per income ... Then there's fee's .. I'm bent over all the time . Saltwater fishing is my only relief .. We going to get 100% access ?

[macojoe]

That was said on the radio today, the aravger person works from Jan 1 till end of April just for all the taxes they pay!! So 4 months pay is just for tax the rest is yours.

Right or wrong?

Thats 1/3 rd your anual pay

[5/0]

Originally Posted by macojoe

That was said on the radio today, the aravger person works from Jan 1 till end of April just for all the taxes they pay!! So 4 months pay is just for tax the rest is yours.

Right or wrong?

Thats 1/3 rd your anual pay

This is 100% true........just like the average person sleeps 1/3 of there life.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by 5/0

This is 100% true........just like the average person sleeps 1/3 of there life.

so...if I could get paid for sleeping, all the money I'd make at work I can keep!

[Forester]

I don't post often actually ever but I do feel strongly about this topic so here is my two cents worth:
Surf fishing in my opinion is the last, best, "free" activity that we have available to us. That said, I agree that pressure will continue to be applied to implement some sort of SW license along the whole coast. Now some would say what's 20 bucks a year to fish...., I agree but consider this. I fish with my wife and we fish in Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and will probably try Maine, New Hampshire and New York. If each state has a license and it costs $20 and there are two of us (8 states * $20 * 2 family members = $320) it starts to add up. That's just the first year. As the years go by license fees will go up and $320 becomes $640 or more. Check out the license fee increases in your own state or the increases in the Chesapeake Bay license. All of a sudden my last best "free" activity is becoming quite expensive and that's without equipment costs, beach permits, gas costs etc. So if we believe that SW licenses are going to be a reality, then let's work together on a proposal to implement SW licenses that would benefit state programs and not hurt anglers too much. Some things that might be considered: Reasonable license fees that cannot be increased by more than a certain percentage over a certain number of years, Reciprocal agreements among states from Maine to North Carolina.
You could buy your license in any of those states and the revenues would be tied to the state where the license was bought, and license fees could only be used on programs that improve access and enhance saltwater fishing opportunities