BULLETIN


14 May 2002
Volume XI, No. 4

DEC Marine Resource Program Financing Subcommittee

Chairman Wise distributed a summary of activities and progress to date by this subcommittee. He indicated that any of the reports reviewed by the subcommittee can be made available to the full Council. Councilor McBride warned about the possibility of increased special revenue sources being offset by concomitant reductions in funding for DEC's marine resource programs through the State's General Fund, resulting in no net gain in funding for DEC's marine resource programs. Mr. Wise responded that the subcommittee recognized this possibility and would recommend how it might be guarded against. Mr. John Mihale suggested that perhaps a license should be created that would allow recreational anglers to sell up to the daily recreational possession limit of specific marine shellfish and finfish species. Mr. Wise stated that the subcommittee's eventual recommendations to the Council will likely be a mix of broadly-based new revenue sources and more targeted, activity or user group specific revenue sources. Councilor Sullivan suggested a possible port tax on cruise ships using New York Harbor.