NJ Senate to Hear Saltwater Registry Debate

[PBangler]

This went out to members in 2007

"Coastal Conservation Association Virginia Alert

Governor Kaine has extended the raid on the recreational fishing fund to the new 2008-2010 biennium budget. CCA VA would like to thank all of you for writing letters to the Governor and your senators and delegates but we need your help again when the General Assembly of Virginia opens for business on January 9th. Contact your senator and delegates that must approve Governor Kaine's budgets before they become law.

CCA Virginia Alert

Governor Kaine’s Raid on Your Fishing License Money

Action You Can Take NOW:

Starting January 9th, call 800-889-0229 between 9 am and 5 pm weekdays and tell the operator to let your legislators know you strongly object to the Governor plan to use the dedicated Recreational Fishing Development fund money to replace general funds in VMRC’s operating budget from now until 2010. Get your relatives, neighbors and fishing buddies to call, too.

Background and Details

In July 1992, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation authorizing the implementation of a saltwater recreational fishing license with the proceeds deposited into a dedicated, non-reverting recreational fishing development fund.

In 2004, CCA supported legislation to allow the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to increase license and permit fees levied for recreational and commercial fishing. A citizens committee developed the parameters for the legislation and CCA volunteers participated in this process. The committee felt it was important any fee increases be equitable and also felt it was critical the proceeds of such fee increases stay in the dedicated recreational and commercial license funds and not be used to replace general funds. Further they felt that both of these dedicated funds needed additional money in order to better serve their user group's needs.

None of that has changed. However, Governor Kaine is now proposing to break the trust recreational fishermen placed in the process and transfer $416,357 from the dedicated non-reverting Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund into the general fund in order to help cover shortfalls of revenue in the present Virginia state budget. In addition to covering these unanticipated shortfalls, Governor Kaine’s has proposed that the raid on the Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund continue into the July 2008 – June 2010 biennium budget.

The only way we can prevent this type of raid on our license funds is for YOU to let Richmond know that YOU want them to honor the promise made by the Governor’s predecessors, former Secretaries of Natural Resources, and the Legislature. The promise is that our license money would not replace the general funds allocated to VMRC, VIMS and other state agencies. It will take a lot of phone calls, letters, faxes and emails to state senators and delegates to turn this raid around. You have to insist they not break their agreements between recreational fishermen and the government regarding the dedicated nature of this fund. If the Governor and the General Assembly are successful in raiding the funds this year, we will undoubtedly see more raids on the VSRFDF Funds in the future."

emphasis added

[PBangler]

To top it off they now have to buy a new recreational permit in VA

Final Regulation

Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-1120. Pertaining to Tilefish and Grouper (adding 4VAC20-1120-31, 4VAC20-1120-32).

Statutory Authority: § 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: July 1, 2009.

Agency Contact: Jane Warren, Agency Regulatory Coordinator, Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, VA 23607, telephone (757) 247-2248, FAX (757) 247-2002, or email betty.warren@mrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendment establishes a requirement to obtain a Tilefish and Grouper Landing Permit to possess and land grouper and tilefish in Virginia and also requires the reporting of recreational harvests of tilefish and grouper when landed in Virginia.

Emphasis added
--------------------------------

MAFMC Meeting Minutes October 2009

COUNCIL CHAIRMAN RICHARD ROBINS:

“The state of Virginia has just adopted mandatory reporting for the recreational sector. For this deepwater fishery, you have to have a snapper/grouper recreational permit with the reporting requirement. It's primarily a recreational fishery in our area. But hopefully, as the data -- catch data get better, that can feed into the process somehow.”

--------------------------------

So much for a saltwater license

[dales529]

Kensdock,
Its really enough already. Your complete lack of facts, refusal to reply to valid questions about your "data" in multiple posts , your lack of agenda on fishery subjects other than to bash certain groups / individuals and constant cross reference of different subjects within posts is getting tough to moderate.

As much as you are given the chance to express your opinion, you have crossed that line AGAIN and AGAIN in my opinion with personal attacks and you are tying up peoples time which is better spent on fighting for NJ anglers and our fisheries.

Your poor attempt to 'paste' a poll, then tout the results and then state polls don't matter . You state most people are honest which I assume is an attempt to defend your poll over its flawed set-up, Its bad enough you post percentages of a poll with 58 votes while constantly stating there are 1.4 million anglers and expect us to consider the results.

I give credit to those that have entertained your notions and tried to get you to respond reasonably.

You are on a very short leash so either start backing up your statements with facts to support your accusations, reply to specific questions with quotes, stay on topic within each post or please excuse yourself from the site before its done for you.

[CaptTB]

THIS JUST IN!!!!!!

Americans favor sending all US citizens to Afghanistan by a margin of 10000 to 1 in a recent poll conducted by Kensdock.

When asked, citizens chose being sent to Afghanistan over dying in a nuclear holocaust by the widest margin in any poll ever conducted.

In a recent interview, Kensdock was quoted as saying "The people have spoken, their voice has been heard. Everyone is in favor of going to Afghanistan, just look at the numbers."

When questioned about the choices given in the poll and asked about the appropriateness of the questions, Kensdock response was "In 1969 The partyboat Lobby rigged the Fluke regulations and Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. In 1976 Gas Prices were through the roof and the RFA was to blame, that's why people won't be fooled anymore and will make their own voice heard. The American people have spoken, they prefer Afghanistan over Nuclear Incineration!! So what's your point?"

[Kensdock]

I am sure I have posted enough informational about the benefits of a salt water license at this point. I would hope that one would fish in the southern states or talk to someone that has before you make up your mind on the NJ salt water license. You will find excellent fishing in these States that have invested in their salt water fishing resource. If you get a chance, check out how successful the salt water hatcheries have been with increasing the inshore fish like speckled trout. How would you rate your over all fishing in NJ? Do you think we need a change?

[Leif]

Fishing in NJ is great and getting better. My opinion follows and does not necessarily represent the feelings of others on this site or NJ fishing.com

Some may question the regulations and how they are derived, however fishing is great. I have not been on a bad trip this year, check out some of my posts or blog. It is also much better than it has been with regards to some species like Stripers, Ling, Seabass and now the Cod and Pollack are coming back to a certain extent. No saltwater license is going to help the whiting come back and in my opinion will not help the weakfish or flounder situation either.

NJ cannot add any more taxes, fees, surcharges or what ever you may call it to us fisherman. NJ has a lousy record of managing money and programs as far as I am concerned until they can prove other wise "fagetaboutit." We already pay millions in taxes through the fishing merchandise and tackle we purchase. We pay the highest taxes in the nation and we are the most densely populated state. This is the last straw and the people are getting angry.

If you want money to fix the horrible fishing as you imply, sue the NOAA and all of its subsidiaries for the horrendous management of the fisheries in past years and take that money to enforce new revamped recreational regulations and stop some of the destructive practices that are still occurring on a commercial level.

Leif

[bigjamaica]

Originally Posted by Kensdock

I am sure I have posted enough informational about the benefits of a salt water license at this point. I would hope that one would fish in the southern states or talk to someone that has before you make up your mind on the NJ salt water license. You will find excellent fishing in these States that have invested in their salt water fishing resource. If you get a chance, check out how successful the salt water hatcheries have been with increasing the inshore fish like speckled trout. How would you rate your over all fishing in NJ? Do you think we need a change?

If the fluke minimum size were 14" how many keepers would you have caught this year?
If the sea bass minimum were 11" how many keepers would you have caught?
(That's assuming we were allowed to keep them)
What about blues? If we had a Salt water license do you think bluefishing might be better? I'm sure everyone agrees there were not enough blues around this year.
Maybe NJ could build a bluefish hatchery if they had more money.
Lief: Maybe the reason the whiting left our area is due to the fact that we do not have a salt water license in NJ.
I have not seen a shortage of fish in our area this year, just regulations that do not let us keep the fish we catch.
Will a salt water license change that? NO!

[Kensdock]

The comments of the majority did get their attention!

State lawmakers put off establishing a statewide registry of saltwater fishermen after the chairman of a critical committee decided the issue was too unsettled to post the bill for a vote.

[Leif]

Here is what happened... Notice the part about... We can do this without charging people another fee or another tax. They’ve had enough. We should be able to say, this one time, we’re giving you a break.” and.....

“Think of the additional tourism dollars we could attract if we let sport fishermen around the country know they can come fish New Jersey’s coastal waters without having to pay for a fishing license,” Van Drew said.

Donofrio, of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, said the state estimates there are 600,000 to 800,000 people who participate in saltwater fishing in New Jersey and generate millions of dollars in tourism spending in New Jersey.

Van Drew Blocks Attempt To Add Fee To His Saltwater Fishing Registry

By Matthew Reilly

TRENTON – Sen. Jeff Van Drew today blocked attempts amend his bill establishing a recreational saltwater fishing registry to include a fee.

Sen. Van Drew said he will continue to work with fishing and outdoor recreations groups, the Department of Environmental Protection and fellow legislators to create the saltwater fishing registry, but he remains adamantly opposed to imposition of any fee on anglers. The bill (S2194) was reviewed by the Senate Environment Committee, but was held without taking a vote.

“There’s no reason to believe that if we imposed something like a licensing fee that those monies we collect would be there to fund fishing and outdoor recreation programs,” Sen. Van Drew said. “Other states that have imposed a fee to register for recreational saltwater fishing have had problems. We can do this without charging people another fee or another tax. They’ve had enough. We should be able to say, this one time, we’re giving you a break.”

Van Drew’s bill (S2194) to require the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Marine Fisheries Council to establish a free recreational saltwater fishing registry would bring the state into compliance with a federal law, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006, which is aimed at improving the management of the nation’s fisheries.

“The purpose of my bill is to establish a registry that helps the federal government do better science, not to raise more money for the state,” he said. “This bill is about establishing a database of saltwater sport fishermen that will help the federal government do an accurate assessment of what fish are being caught, where they’re being caught and who is catching them. There’s no reason to impose a tax or fee on people to do this.”

Sen. Van Drew’s bill was supported by Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, which represents the interests of saltwater anglers, the marine, boat and tackle industries and works to ensure the long-term sustainability of the nation’s fisheries, said his organization supports Sen. Van Drew’s effort to establish a free registry.

“We all agree the registry should be free,” Donofrio said. “This should not used to fund the Division of Fish and Wildlife, it should be about getting better data to do better science and research. This is not the time to be taxing people.”

Van Drew said he’ll continue working with officials from the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and with groups representing anglers and related businesses to come up with a plan to set up a free registry.

In 2007, Congress reauthorized the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 2007. The reauthorization included requirements for revising the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey and directed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a National Saltwater Angler Registry Program.

“The fisheries survey gives NOAA a better idea of who’s catching what in the oceans and saltwater bays,” Sen. Van Drew said. “The way they’ve traditionally gotten this information is by cold-calling people, asking them whether take part in saltwater fishing and then asking them about their catch. With a national registry, the agency will have a ready-made database from which to survey anglers and get a more accurate sense of the state of our fisheries”

The federal law will exempt anglers from the federal registry if their state has its own registration or licensing system. New Jersey does not currently have a saltwater licensing or registration program. Sen. Van Drew’s bill would direct the DEP Commissioner to apply to the federal National Marine Fisheries Service for “exempted state designation” so that New Jersey’s saltwater anglers do not have to participate in the national registry.

“Think of the additional tourism dollars we could attract if we let sport fishermen around the country know they can come fish New Jersey’s coastal waters without having to pay for a fishing license,” Van Drew said.

Donofrio, of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, said the state estimates there are 600,000 to 800,000 people who participate in saltwater fishing in New Jersey and generate millions of dollars in tourism spending in New Jersey.

MATTHEW REILLY can be reached via email at mreilly@njleg.org.

[Dave A]

Originally Posted by Kensdock

The comments of the majority did get their attention!

State lawmakers put off establishing a statewide registry of saltwater fishermen after the chairman of a critical committee decided the issue was too unsettled to post the bill for a vote.

You did not attend the hearing otherwise you would know that the majority in attendance yesterday that filled out the form were IN FAVOR of the free registry. Also, when writing about additional funding for NJ Div of Fish and Wildlife all you ever rant about is the need for a saltwater license. Why don't you ever mention how the Div is not interested in other means of funding such as: a Conservation lottery and a saltwater license plate. Both of these projects would generate a considerable amount of money for funding necessary projects. Oh yeah, forget it because those suggestions came from the RFA and as you know Ken or Benny they are the Evil Empire.