Mr. Gilmore introduced this agenda item by saying that he and the rest of the staff of the Bureau of Marine Resources knows that the feeling was quite unanimous within New York's marine recreational fishing community that the data on marine recreational fishing catch and effort secured through NMFS' Marine Recreational Fishing Statistics Survey (MRFSS) was not believable and that a better way of collecting such data was necessary.  Within NOAA/NMFS it was decided that a national saltwater angler registry would be the best way to collect the information needed by the government in order to make decisions affecting the marine recreational fishing community and industry.  To that end, a national registry will go into effect in January 2009.  The registry will basically be a phone book of marine anglers.  Initially, entry into the registry (which must be annually renewed) will be free.  Beginning in 2011, the cost will be approximately $25.00 - $30.00 per angler.  Registry fees will be placed in the federal government's "General Fund" and will not be earmarked for expenditures related to marine recreational fishing, the marine environment or anything of that sort.  The registry program will offer an exemption to states that have or develop their own registry or saltwater fishing license program that would satisfy the requirements of the federal registry program. 

Under the Council's aegis, Mr. Gilmore continued, a marine recreational fishing license discussion group was constituted in 2003 and recently reconstituted to continue its discussion of the pros and cons of a New York State marine recreational fishing license program in light of the impending federal registry program.  That group's most recent discussions identified five issues that were key in formulating a state license program.  These issues are: 

1. License Cost – A little more than half the group felt that annual cost should be $4 - $10; a bit less than half thought the cost should be higher, enough to generate a revenue stream sufficient to improve or enhance DEC's marine resources management program, especially since the fee, once instituted, would likely not be increased for a long time.
2. Exemptions to the license requirement – Native Americans, under the age of 16, military personnel, handicapped military, and handicapped (blind only).  A discount might be given to seniors and there is a recommendation for party/charter boats that just the boat would require a license, not each angler aboard. 
3. Accountability – License revenues must go to a dedicated, secure fund and be used for the benefit of marine resources only.  The consensus was that the existing Marine Resources Account is the best depository.  There should also be some kind of control committee overseeing the expenditures of license revenues.
4. Reciprocity – It was agreed to honor what the adjacent states offer to New York marine anglers.
5. Availability – There was concern about the surge of people applying for a license all in the month of January; DEC is working on a web-based license procurement system and increasing the number of sales offices to help ease the transition.

Councilor Danielson thought the Council should have the opportunity to fine tune how some of these issues are handled before any licensing proposals goes further.  Mr. Gilmore stated that the saltwater license proposal will be developed as a Departmental bill, hopefully ready for public comment by April 2008.

 

Page last modified Wednesday, February 27, 2008 by George E. Carroll