Wording in Free Registry Could Delay Implementation

[apmaurosr]

January 15, 2011
Press Release
Belmar, NJ

The NJOA (CF) has discovered that the free saltwater registry bill that now awaits the Governor's signature may have wording that could delay implementation of the registry.

"Our people have been studying this bill and have concerns about it being written as a regulation instead of using a more direct approach," said Anthony P. Mauro, Sr, Chairman of the NJOA (CF). "Our understanding is that since the registry bill takes a regulatory route it might need to go through a review process that includes a public comment period. If true, it could take as long as 12 months before the registry goes into effect. The Federal government's deadline and $15.00 registry fee were imposed on January 1 of this year. We've contacted the Governor's office and conveyed our sense of urgency that New Jersey's registry attains exempt status."

Apparently the wording in free saltwater registry bill is cumbersome in that it orders the (DEP), in consultation with the Marine Fisheries Council, to establish and implement a registry using regulation. Through an Executive Order established last year, Governor Christie declared that proposed and pending State rules and regulations be reviewed.

Mauro continued, "This latest development leaves us uneasy. We know that the bill lacks any mention of where the funds will come from to pay for the $600,000 needed to implement the registry. We know that there has been no assessment of the impact that raiding $600,000 from the Bureau Marine Fisheries (BMF) will have on fishery research or management. Now we discover that the bill may have been hastily conceived. If nothing else, it looks amateurish for allowing such a slipup to be sent to the Governor to resolve."

The free registry bill does not provide for a funding source to pay for implementation and management of the registry. Many angling organizations fear the money will be taken from the appropriation the BMF receives from the state. Such action could possibly lead to moratoriums on certain species of fish or have other negative consequences for fisheries management, including cuts to the artificial reef program.

Peter Grimbilas, President, NJOA (CF) said, "A little forethought could have prevented the uncertainty. Deficiencies in a bill are supposed to be addressed before it hits the Governor's desk and we don't know why a deficiency as obvious as delaying the implementation of the registry wasn't caught. We've also alerted the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about our concerns so they can expedite the registry. We got the distinct impression that the DEP is aware of the problem."

The NJOA (CF) is urging people to please call the Governor's office (1-609-292-6000) and request that the funding for Bill S1122/A823 "Free Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry" come from somewhere other than natural resource accounts and also ask that a viable registry be prioritized and put into effect as soon as possible.



Anthony P. Mauro, Sr

Chair
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Conservation Foundation
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Environmental Projects


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Officers: Ed Markowski, Captain Pete Grimbilas, Jerry Natale, Len Wolgast, PhD., Anthony Mauro

[DarkSkies]

Peter Grimbilas, President, NJOA (CF) said, "A little forethought could have prevented the uncertainty. Deficiencies in a bill are supposed to be addressed before it hits the Governor's desk and we don't know why a deficiency as obvious as delaying the implementation of the registry wasn't caught. We've also alerted the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about our concerns so they can expedite the registry. We got the distinct impression that the DEP is aware of the problem."

The NJOA (CF) is urging people to please call the Governor's office (1-609-292-6000) and request that the funding for Bill S1122/A823 "Free Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry" come from somewhere other than natural resource accounts and also ask that a viable registry be prioritized and put into effect as soon as possible.

Anthony P. Mauro, Sr

Chair
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Conservation Foundation
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Environmental Projects

Anthony, thanks for keeping us updated, as always.
I think a lot of this has become confusing for the sportsmen out there.

For example....
They are told that the state registry can be implemented with a nominal cost to the state of $1/angler. Since there are 600,000 anglers in the state who could potentially register, is that where the $600 k figure comes from?

The DEP, as you mentioned, might be aware of the problem. If memory serves me correctly, they were one of the groups pushing for this bill NOT to be signed. Is that still the case, and what can be done about it?

I may be more cynical than most, but to me this looks like a political battle where various groups are lined up to justify taking more $$ fom sportsmen. I see the imposition of an eventual stiff fee for a NJ SW license as inevitable. I don't agree with it, and like others am not happy about it.

One of my chief concerns is where the $$ will go if and when we have to start paying a yearly fee to fish our salt water. If it isn't used for sportsmen programs, then where is the fairness or justification? I wondered if you might address that further as well as respond to some concerns I stated above.

Thanks for all your input and helping to keep us informed!