35 years the first

[BasicPatrick]

There is no charge for a marine rec fishign license in 2010

None of the MA license money in 2011 is going to law enforcement...they are already paid to enforce the law

It's great to see officers doing their jobs...I know a few MA EPO's that are dedicated and do well considering there are not enough of them.

Too bad they fought hard to leave the MA Dep't of Fish & Game a few years ago to become part of the State Police.

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

There is no charge for a marine rec fishign license in 2010

None of the MA license money in 2011 is going to law enforcement...they are already paid to enforce the law

It's great to see officers doing their jobs...I know a few MA EPO's that are dedicated and do well considering there are not enough of them.

Too bad they fought hard to leave the MA Dep't of Fish & Game a few years ago to become part of the State Police.

I didn't know they tried to roll into the M.S.P., thats interesting. I'll bet the troopers fought against that. The troopers who are academy trained are sick of the MDC and registry troopers who in some cases never went to an acredited academy or went to the MDC academy, which just isn't the same level of training as one rceieves in New Braintree.

[FishermanTim]

It'll be a case of good and bad this year.
Good that there will be increased presence due to the new salt water "license", and hopefully less poaching.
Bad because they will have to spend MORE time checking all the legit anglers, that they won't have time to catch any poachers.

I do understand that since their budget was cut, and thus was their staff, it's hard to supply the workforce to comfortanly patrol ALL the waterways, and check EVERY angler.

All I can say is that they better not start "enforcing" their own rules, and interfere with the anglers right to fish.

I can only hope that the end result will be a well managed system and better control on illegal activities.....But then we are talking Massachussets here, so who knows what will ACTUALLY get done correctly.

Any guesses as to how long it takes before the state house tries to "acquire" the license fee $$ and add it to the hack-a-rama "rainy day" slush fund?

[denis]

Rockport;

no they were just given warnings.