strikezone31
09-04-2010, 10:57 AM
Marine Fisheries Council endorses saltwater license
Published: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 8:28 PM Updated: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 10:05 PM
Al Ristori
A dramatic vote was taken at yesterday's monthly meeting of the Marine Fisheries Council when a motion to endorse a saltwater fishing license as a means of funding marine fisheries within the Division of Fish & Wildlife was passed unanimously.
The N.J. Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and the Cape May Party & Charter Boat Association have been on record as supporting this concept, but the Council's motion will probably result in the required legislative action for consideration. The very mention of a saltwater license has always been poison in N.J., but with many of our state's anglers now having to buy a New York or Delaware license, the prospect of reciprocal licenses and sending money to N.J. rather than a neighboring state may make a difference. In addition, we will have to deal with the federal registry next year -- when it will no longer be free unless we have a state license.
Yet, Dr. Pat Donnelly said those concerns weren't the reason for the license proposal. Our marine fisheries are run on a budget of just $380,000, while North Carolina (a state with about as many fishermen) has an $18 million budget, about half of which comes from the recreational license. Donnelly noted that we probably could have had more liberal tautog regulations if we had the personel last year to provide the required statistics to back up our case. The same thing may apply next year with shad and river herring.
There will be a lot more about this in the weeks to come, though there isn't even a bill in the Legislature to put a license dedicated to Marine Fisheries into law. Let the debate begin!
© 2010 NJ.com. All rights reserved.
http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing/index.ssf/2010/09/marine_fisheries_council_endor.html (http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing/index.ssf/2010/09/marine_fisheries_council_endor.html)
Published: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 8:28 PM Updated: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 10:05 PM
Al Ristori
A dramatic vote was taken at yesterday's monthly meeting of the Marine Fisheries Council when a motion to endorse a saltwater fishing license as a means of funding marine fisheries within the Division of Fish & Wildlife was passed unanimously.
The N.J. Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and the Cape May Party & Charter Boat Association have been on record as supporting this concept, but the Council's motion will probably result in the required legislative action for consideration. The very mention of a saltwater license has always been poison in N.J., but with many of our state's anglers now having to buy a New York or Delaware license, the prospect of reciprocal licenses and sending money to N.J. rather than a neighboring state may make a difference. In addition, we will have to deal with the federal registry next year -- when it will no longer be free unless we have a state license.
Yet, Dr. Pat Donnelly said those concerns weren't the reason for the license proposal. Our marine fisheries are run on a budget of just $380,000, while North Carolina (a state with about as many fishermen) has an $18 million budget, about half of which comes from the recreational license. Donnelly noted that we probably could have had more liberal tautog regulations if we had the personel last year to provide the required statistics to back up our case. The same thing may apply next year with shad and river herring.
There will be a lot more about this in the weeks to come, though there isn't even a bill in the Legislature to put a license dedicated to Marine Fisheries into law. Let the debate begin!
© 2010 NJ.com. All rights reserved.
http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing/index.ssf/2010/09/marine_fisheries_council_endor.html (http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing/index.ssf/2010/09/marine_fisheries_council_endor.html)