Saltwater sport fishermen will soon have to buy a license
By Beth Daley, Globe Staff
The only things anyone’s ever needed to sport fish off New England’s coast is a rod, reel and good luck.
Now, the more than 2.5 million people who fish for fun there will likely also need a license.
The federal agency that manages fishing announced today that it will require most saltwater anglers to register before fishing begins in 2009 and start charging for the privilege by 2011.
Fishery officials have grown increasingly concerned about how many fish the nation’s recreational fishermen reel in from the ocean each year.
"This will lead to better stock assessments and more effective regulations to rebuild and manage these valuable fish," said Jim Balsiger, acting assistant administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service.
The rule will mean most fishermen -- whether fishing from a dock, beach or a dinghy -- will have to have a permit. State waters within three miles of shore aren't normally covered by federal rules. But the new regulation would apply to fishermen who might catch any species that travel between fresh and salt water, such as striped bass, one of the most popular New England sportfish.
Although licensing fees will not likely be more than $25 a year, Northeast fishermen say they shouldn’t have to pay at all for the pleasure of pursuing a beloved, centuries-old pastime. So deep-seated is the belief that recreational fishing in the ocean should be free, it’s partly why attempts by Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut to require sport fishing licensing in recent years have failed.
The resistance is largely a Northeast phenomenon. Of the 23 coastal states, only the seven stretching from Maine to New Jersey, plus Hawaii, do not require licenses for saltwater recreational fishing. Virtually every state, including Massachusetts, has freshwater fishing licensing programs.
"A lot of locals have been fishing since 1941 and now they have to pay for a license?" said Richard Generazio of Falmouth Bait and Tackle Company. He said fishermen are not opposed to better data collection, but businesses such as his will suffer because tourists may initially balk at paying a fee to fish for a day or two.
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This is about one thing.......MONEY....nothing else.
And how will making us PAY improve data collection? When Joe weekend warrior goes out and catches two cod and three winter flounder does anyone think he is going to put filling out some sort of catch report at the top of his priority list? The govt will just take more of your cash. Do you think those people from Lynn who fish off the wharfs in Gloucester will be paying for a license? LOL
Shiver me timbers! I'd rather give up Olivy Oyl then pay to fishee!
Popeye
Truth is they are going to bend us over and stick it to people anyway they can. I for one won't buy a license.
So what about those who go on deep sea fishing trips?
Why not a license to buy bait???
Why not a license to walk along the waterfront???
Why not a license to bird watch???
Why not a license to go out to eat???
Why not a license to go sight seeing???
Why not a license to go whale watching??
Why not a license to go bicycle riding???
Why not a license to go swimming in the ocean???
When will it end???
We all know the money collected from this will not go to better fishing thats for sure
This proposal is Obnoxious
when are the people going to say enough already. Jesus was a fisherman what would he say?
Just a another tax increase with no appreciable value to the payer.
And this from the Bush "no taxes' Admin? A Conservative, right wing administration taxing the common man? Seems like it won't pass the Democratically controlled Congress!! NO WAY to pay to fish!!! You'll see sport and leisure fishing businesses die off!!! Who thought up this arsenine act? Probably one who was traumatized by bait as a child!!!!
As a Mass Resident, I stopped fishing freshwater when the fees jumped to $27.00. It was not worth it to me as a casual fisherman who might get to go out once or twice a year, especially when I would also have to buy 3 more licenses for my kids. $108.00 to take them out one time? That's on the same plate as going to Fenway Park. I am lucky if I get to go out once a year for Saltwater fishing, so this is definitely not worthwhile. Again, another $100.00 for a day? When did this have to become a privilege? It's obvious that they are attempting to eliminate the casual fisherman from going out at all, supposedly in the name of management. It's just another tax for the politicians to have in the coffers for their own pensions & benefits. Believe me, I would much rather spend what little leisure time I have fishing instead of golfing. No offense to the golfers!!!
More government beruacracy. Stay out of our lives
To say the federal government is interested in the number of fish caught by local fisherman to help them to protect this great, natural resource, is a ruse and disingenuous. Having this data won't change what they already know - the fish stocks are depleted and at further risk due to commercial overfishing.
Collecting license fees is just another source of revenue.
Horse bleep
Add this tax to the rest of them. It is getting pretty sad when the extortion of another $25 or so is looked on as a great idea, and then couched as an environmental effort.
Another great idea! Why don't we get a license for the kids to go to the playground. Shouldn't we know how many kids use the park!
Insane. All about the money, not about natural resources. This is our right given to us from above, not by the government.
Of the 25 bucks, 5 cents will be spent in research and preservation. 24.95 will be on administrative.
I think this idea is not well founded. There are other ways of collecting data other than through a licensing program. I can afford the $25 but on those spear of the moment opportunities when visitors come to my house and we decide to hop in the boat and go fishing, that won't happen any more, because those visitors likely will not have licenses. Requiring saltwater licensing will result in no fishing at all for the same reason I don't go freshwater fishing any more like I did when I was a kid. Maybe that is what our bureaucrats want. I liked the comment written by joe smitten with a listing of all of the other things in life that potentially could be licensed.
if the federal government wants to set fees for fishing because of data collection then quit spending money in foreign countries that don't appreciate it or better don't want us just our money. with the oil companies making record profits and the republicans just this week stopped the passage of a bill that would tax these profits, well, there goes more money. illegal immigrints getting federal benifits with free medical care, stop it now, here's more money. there are many ways of paying for things like the fishing license if you would look and in some cases uphold the law of the land but too many elected officials refuse to do the job they were elected to do. vote them out, now!!!
Wow...this is just inane...clearly recreational fishing has NO effect on stocks, versus high return commercial fishing operations. why do we accept this, and i am not even a fisherman?
You have to understand the whole point, All you who say you're not going to go fishing is what the government wants. The idea is the fewer people casually fishing will (hopefully) increase stocks for commercial fisherman. This is simply a deterent to keep fish stocks from being depleted. The effectiveness, however, and the wisodm behind it are debateable.
>> This proposal is Obnoxious
when are the people going to say enough already. Jesus was a fisherman what would he say
Jesus would be fined by the enviromental police and have his fishing tackle confiscated for not have a license to fish....
There are people who fish for fun and do not keep any fish and they should NOT need a license to fish. The reason I don't do freshwater fishing anymore is becuase the license fee jumped from like $12 to $27. I think there should be a "catch and release" licesne for $5 which I will be willing to pay.
Recreation fishing is a BIG industry in the NE states. A lot of charter / party boat, tackle and bait shops depend on the people who fish. Most of these are small business who are already struggling in this economy. We all know how painful it is at the pump and many charter boats are struggling due to the high fuel cost. This will only discourge people from going to fishing and drive away businesses.
For me to pay a little more for a combo licence (Saltwater/Freshwater) might not hurt to much but if I have to pay $27 for fresh and/or $25 for salt then I'm going to pick one or the other but not both. Then another issue is I like to fish in Rhode Island waters as well as in Mass. I'll probably need a non-resident for RI which I don't think I'm going to buy. The ideal is one fishing licence for every kind of fishing and have it valid anywhere in the country.
So now we will have a Saltwater fishing licence and now the Coast Guard have to become policeman not only outside the 3 mile limit but now inside as well. I think all this licence will do is raise funds to offset the increase in staff at the Coast Guard. Yes a selective tax with no real benefit.
I'll never pay to fish!
I don't have a problem with it if the money is used to increase enforcement. I'm sick of the number of people who kill everything they catch with no regard to size or bag limits. These are also the same yahoos who leave mounds of trash behind them when they leave. If a license requirement will keep a few of these jerks off the water I'm all for it.
I don't have a problem with it if the money is used to increase enforcement. I'm sick of the number of people who kill everything they catch with no regard to size or bag limits. These are also the same yahoos who leave mounds of trash behind them when they leave. If a license requirement will keep a few of these jerks off the water I'm all for it.
I live in one of the 23 states that already have a SW license so, I don't have a dog in this fight.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness???
I will never buy a saltwater fishing license.I have been fishing salt and fresh water for over 60 years in Mass, Nh, and now Maine.I now have a lifetime license to Hunt,and fish Maine waters.This is just another money grab.It sucks.
Is anything being done to stop this?? Companies don't grow saltwater fish and let them go into the wild, so why should we pay for a license. They need to crack down on Commercial fishing if they want to "preserve" sealife.
I was fishing out in front of Misquamicut when 6 draggers went by and next thing you know there is nothing to catch. It's ok for Commercial boats to take 14 inch fluke and kill everything else its nets drag over. I don't see enough fish out here in the north east to make it worth my money for a fishing license. I'll quit fishing! I wonder how many fishing related buisnesses the government can put out of action. What happens when no-one is buying fishing polls,bait,lures,and other related fishing gear. This will put a lot of people out of work! Lets face it ,the Commercial fishing industry is depleting the fish stock and we are pay for it with a license fee. I much rather have a nice Fluke filet then a processed fish stick or paddy. I say boycott processed sea food and Don't buy a license!
Glen Theodore
Mystic CT
If the govt wants information on who is fishing then why not give the licenses free of charge.The billions of dollars we give to countries who hate us can be cut by a tiny fraction and that will pay for these charges.
If the govt wants information on who is fishing then why not give the licenses free of charge.The billions of dollars we give to countries who hate us can be cut by a tiny fraction and that will pay for these charges.
Come 2010 every one and i say every one. Boycott salt water fishing. Just one year...Hit them where it hurts!!! In the pocket ... Together we can...
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