NEW YORK'S SALTWATER LICENSE TO BE REPEALED
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- Published: Thursday, 24 March 2011 06:13
- Written by Jim Hutchinson, Jr.
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NEW YORK'S SALTWATER LICENSE TO BE REPEALED
User Fee Will Be Gone in 180 Days - Replaced By Free Registry
New York's saltwater fishing license is being repealed!
According
to the Associated Press, New York lawmakers and the Cuomo administration have
just reached an agreement to end the state's $10 annual saltwater fishing
license and replace it with a free registry for the state's coastal
waters. Legislators announcing the change yesterday say it will
cover two years.
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) received a "high priority" email sent through DEC channels yesterday afternoon regarding the license repeal, noting that budget discussions between Governor Cuomo and the New York state legislature helped facilitate the repeal effort, which is said will take place in the next 180 days.
Last Tuesday, March 15th, a Senate Budget Resolution calling for the repeal of the MTA Payroll Tax for public and private schools, as well as full repeal of the saltwater fishing license was passed in the New York Senate. "I made clear from the beginning of the Budget process that I would not support any new taxes or fees," Sen. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) said last week.
Sen. Zeldin, a Long Island saltwater angler, last month introduced legislation in the New York Senate (S3638) which would amend the environmental conservation law in relation to establishing a registration system for saltwater recreational fishing, essentially repealing that part which mandates that a fee to fish be levied on saltwater anglers. Under the Senate Budget Resolution passed last week, the saltwater fishing license and fee would end with the expiration of the current 2011 license.........
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed New Jersey's free saltwater registry bill into law today, which will allow coastal anglers to register their name and phone number with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at no cost in 2011. By federal law, saltwater anglers are required to register their name and phone number with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on an annual basis in order to fish in coastal waters. In November, NMFS announced that the fee for registering with the National Saltwater Angler Registry will be $15 as of January 1, a change affecting many anglers and spear fishermen in Hawaii, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
