The 18 of 23 Coastal States with the Recreational Saltwater License
More beginning Jan 2010
This post is not designed to stir up controversy just to put out some factual info on the clause in the reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Act of 2006.
In response of the shortcomings of the MRFSS (Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey) , NOAA Fisheries commissioned a scientific review in 2004. The National Research Council reviewed the program and concluded that the survey needed to be completely redesigned. The methods used at the time were to basically count anglers at different jetties, beaches and access points, and by randomly telephoning households in coastal communities, not very scientific.
They concluded that the data management was flawed, no big surprize there. The primary recommendation was to improve data collection through a registry of saltwater anglers that would provide appropriate contact information from anglers fishing in all marine waters, both state and Federal. This is designed to make data collection and survey data much more accurate.
The recommendation was included in the reauthorization which tasks NOAA Fisheries with creating a national registry by January 2009.
The Department of Commerce can begin to charge a federal fishing fee to support the registry by January 2011.
However the act also gives the government the authority to grant exemptions to states that collect suitable information for the registry through a state fishing license program.
No state wants to see a federal program collecting the monies so. The states want the fee to go back into the state budgets.
The key issue for most of us who oppose a license is a dedicated funding to improve the fishery and not go into a general fund.
Ct and New Hampshire have proposed legislation for 2008 season and have made it clear that funds from saltwater licensing would go to support their respective fisheries.
More beginning Jan 2010
This post is not designed to stir up controversy just to put out some factual info on the clause in the reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Act of 2006.
In response of the shortcomings of the MRFSS (Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey) , NOAA Fisheries commissioned a scientific review in 2004. The National Research Council reviewed the program and concluded that the survey needed to be completely redesigned. The methods used at the time were to basically count anglers at different jetties, beaches and access points, and by randomly telephoning households in coastal communities, not very scientific.
They concluded that the data management was flawed, no big surprize there. The primary recommendation was to improve data collection through a registry of saltwater anglers that would provide appropriate contact information from anglers fishing in all marine waters, both state and Federal. This is designed to make data collection and survey data much more accurate.
The recommendation was included in the reauthorization which tasks NOAA Fisheries with creating a national registry by January 2009.
The Department of Commerce can begin to charge a federal fishing fee to support the registry by January 2011.
However the act also gives the government the authority to grant exemptions to states that collect suitable information for the registry through a state fishing license program.
No state wants to see a federal program collecting the monies so. The states want the fee to go back into the state budgets.
The key issue for most of us who oppose a license is a dedicated funding to improve the fishery and not go into a general fund.
Ct and New Hampshire have proposed legislation for 2008 season and have made it clear that funds from saltwater licensing would go to support their respective fisheries.