http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/next_stop_for_free_fishing_fight_w4QPbcip8acjRu5gXsnwQP New Jersey anglers just won the right to fish their marine waters for free. Now that fight moves to New York. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed his state's free saltwater registry bill into law, which will allow coastal anglers to register their name and phone number with the state Dept. 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 Jan. 1, a change affecting many anglers and spear fishermen in Hawaii, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Currently, 22 of the nation's 24 coastal states are exempted from the federal registration requirements because of existing state programs that provide the necessary angler data to the National Saltwater Angler Registry. The new saltwater angler registry law now requires DEP to establish a free angler registry program for the state of New Jersey, much the same as what the state of Delaware has done through their Fisherman Identification Number. "We need to enhance tourism, and what better way to do it than free fishing?" said Sen. Van Drew, primary sponsor of S-1122 and a driving force in getting the free registry legislation signed into law in New Jersey. "It's symbolic. New Jersey could be a real leader on this." New York State Sen. Lee M. Zeldin (R-Shirley) will be holding his first press conference as state senator tomorrow at the Suffolk County Boat and Sport Fishing Show. Dozens of Long Islanders are expected to attend in support of the repeal of the saltwater fishing license fee, a charge enacted by the New York State Legislature two years ago which has been resented by Long Islanders ever since. Sen. Zeldin is expected to announce legislation to repeal it. The saltwater fishing license in New York is a broken law built on broken promises, and our saltwater fishing community applauds Sen. Zeldin for stepping up and addressing this issue early into his term," said Jim Hutchinson, managing director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance. The Suffolk County Boat and Sport Fishing Show is being held at Suffolk County Community College Sports and Exhibition Complex, Crooked Hill Road, Brentwood, L.I. ken.moran@nypost.com ================================================ Fishing reduces stress and gives you a break from our modern world where everything is going a million miles per hour 73 Check & Clear 6 LOC: 38-54-14.60N / 097-14-09.07W |
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