Mr. Barnhart briefed the Council on budget outlooks and concerns for the upcoming fiscal year. The deficit in the current state fiscal year is $2.9 billion. The projected deficit for the fiscal year that begins 01 April 2003 is approximately $9 billion. The State constitution requires that the state budget passed by the State Legislature be a balanced budget. All segments of state government are facing spending and budget reductions. For FY 2003/2004, the capital budget will be reduced about $132 million and the state operating budget will shrink by $32 million, for an overall reduction of $170 million. If the budget that Governor Pataki has proposed is enacted by the Legislature, DEC in FY 2003/2004 would be funded about 22% through federal monies (EPA money for clean water, sportfish restoration funds, wildlife restoration, etc.), 25 % from the State General Fund, and the remainder (53%) from permit and license fees (hunting, fishing, trapping, commercial fishing license, pollution discharge permit renewals, etc).

DEC current employees approximately 3,600 people. At the start of the current fiscal year (April, 2002) the agency had a bit over 3,700 employees. The FY 2003/2004 requires the Department further reduce the number of its employees to 3,300. Mr. Barnhart stated that the agency believes it will achieve this employment target entirely through the early retirement program offered to State employees. At least 300 current DEC employees have opted for this program. These persons must be off the payroll by 31 March 2003.

The Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources is the largest division in the Department. The Division’s 2002/2003 budget is $59.9 million, which will actually increase slightly in FY 2003/2004 to $61.8 million. The Division’s 449 current employees must drop to 406 by the start of FY 2003/2004. Mr. Barnhart stated that 52 Division employees will be participating in the Early Retirement Program, actually leaving the Division below its FY 2003/2004 staffing target. He referred to the Division’s 2003/2004 work plan, distributed to the Council at its last meeting. That plan was based on a staff level of 470 positions, indicating that, with fewer staff than this in FY 2003/2003, some things in the plan will not get done. Once the Division knows better the details of the 2003/2004 staffing plan, it will adjust the work plan to the realities of the situation. Mr. Barnhart noted the current hiring freeze under which the Department is operating. Some of the people who are taking early retirement are among the most competent, dedicated, and experienced people in the Department and the agency will feel their loss very heavily. Mr. Barnhart said the Department will be faced with hard decisions and he hoped to be able to solicit the Council’s input and advice as these decisions are made.

A question was raised about a proposal for a federal marine recreational fishing license. Mr. Colvin noted that establishing such a license would take an Act of Congress. When Congress has proposed a federal license in the past, the coastal states have very vehemently objected and it has not gone anywhere. Mr. Colvin noted that, if the Council or groups such as ASMFC would like to address the issue of the benefits to a region of having its states’ license their marine recreational anglers and look at things like interstate license reciprocity, that might be a constructive dialogue.