Ma. salt water fishing lic

[tattoobob]

Here is a link Department of Fish & Game - Licensing

[Raider Ronnie]

Went to that page and only option is the $10 rec lic. I'm charter.
The phone number listed there with questions is one of the numbers I called today.

[beamie]

Very confusing Ronnie.

I wonder thou even since you are charter cat you may still have to get one anyway. Say if you go fishing for fun on someone elses non charter boat????? Since your not on the R Nation you may not be covered. They get ya coming and going.

Still lots of questions to get worked out. Talking with a few guys the rumor is this year it won't be enforced too hard since no one can understand the rules fully yet. Who knows.

[Mr. Sandman]

Beamie is right. I asked an EPO about that. I asked: Say you have a comm lic and/or a charter lic. Do you still need to get one?

Ans. If you go rec fishing and it is not a charter or comm trip YES!

[beamie]

Sandman,

That brings up yet another question. I'd say as long as you are on YOUR charter boat whether it is a charter or not you'd be all set. This is where you run into the OPINION of the enforcing officer.

For instance, Tuna HMS wise I am in the charter/headboat catagory so I can either fish Giants or recreational. I don't charter....yet....but I have a license.....I am on my own private charter..... When charter guys go tuna fishing/hms for fun and it is not a charter they are covered both ways.

The only requirement for that license was that a licensed captain be onboard. Said nothing about whether it is a for hire trip.

Wonder how this new state license will be interpreted.

[FishermanTim]

Just don't give them any more bright ideas.
Pretty soon they'll find ways of taxing and fining every aspect of fishing to the point that you won't want to deal with it.
Maybe they'll lavy a tax on things like the number of fish that you WOULD have caught had you actually went fishing, or since you caught X many keepers last year/season, you should pay X amount for a license this year, but you would NEVER pay less than any prior year.
How's that for a future of the recreational/commercial licensing BS?

[fishbones]

This is from the FAQ section of the MA DMF website.

Does my for-hire permit allow me to fish recreationally in salt water when not involved in for-hire activity?
Yes, it does cover you as an individual angler provided that the for-hire permit is issued in your name. You must have the for-hire permit in your possession.

If I have a Highly Migratory Species permit am I exempt from the MA permit?
If you are finfishing exclusively in federal waters and possess an HMS permit, you do not need a MA permit as long as you do not land any fish in Massachusetts. If you retain fish and bring them back into MA state waters, or you fish in state waters, then you will need the MA permit.

Do I need to sign up for the National Saltwater Angler Registry as I did in 2010 (and pay an additional $15 starting in 2011)?
No, the Federal permit no longer covers you to fish in Massachusetts waters. Your MA permit allows you to fish in MA and Federal waters as well as land your fish in Massachusetts. However, if you fish for tuna, billfish, swordfish, and/or sharks you will need a Highly Migratory Species permit from the Federal government.

[robc22]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

Just don't give them any more bright ideas.
Pretty soon they'll find ways of taxing and fining every aspect of fishing to the point that you won't want to deal with it.
Maybe they'll lavy a tax on things like the number of fish that you WOULD have caught had you actually went fishing, or since you caught X many keepers last year/season, you should pay X amount for a license this year, but you would NEVER pay less than any prior year.
How's that for a future of the recreational/commercial licensing BS?

Nail on the head......