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Fishing News

New Budget Immediately Repeals NY Saltwater Fishing Fee

Written by Jim Hutchinson, Jr
Monday, 04 April 2011 16:06
Recreational Fishing Alliance (NY) Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. / 888-564-6732 For Immediate Release NY SALTWATER ANGLERS DO NO NOT NEED A LICENSE TO FISH! Question Answered As New Budget Immediately Repeals Saltwater Fishing Fee New York's saltwater anglers are officially off the hook with regard to paying a fee to fish! Governor Andrew Cuomo's new $132.5 billion budget passed before the April 1 deadline immediately repeals the saltwater fishing license and replaces it with a free registry coordinated through the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Swapping out a fee-based saltwater fishing license with a free registry should allow New York to retain its federal registry exemption, thereby allowing state anglers to avoid having to pay a $15 federal fee to fish. As part of the Environmental Conservation budget bill, the registry will be no cost to anglers for at least the next two years. According to state Senator Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), an agreement secured through leaders from the senate, assembly and governor's office last week helped pave the way for the repeal, which includes a full refund of the lifetime license fee ($150), no reduction to the balance of the Conservation Fund and an additional $1.9 million in General Fund support for Marine Bureau operations. Also effective immediately, party and charter boat captains no longer have to buy a $400 annual saltwater license to cover their passengers. Sen. Zeldin, who helped spearhead senate efforts to repeal the saltwater user fee, also said the DEC's Marine Bureau will not be responsible for paying for jobs for which it assumed responsibility in 2009, and added that full compliance with the federal saltwater fishing registry requirements means New Yorkers will not have to purchase any separate registrations. "This is a piece of legislation that is very important to the needs of my district," Zeldin told NewsLI.com. "I would like to thank not only my senate and assembly colleagues who spent hours listening to me and working with me, but I would also like to thank the thousands of fishermen, including the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), who called, wrote, faxed and signed our petition," stated Senator Zeldin. In February, Senator Zeldin introduced a bill (S3638) to repeal the saltwater fishing license fee, and has been working the halls of the Capitol ever since to bring a broad coalition together to fight for its repeal. The budget agreement finalized by Governor Cuomo's approved budget now sets the Conservation Fund balance at $22.2 million as of today, with a projected balance totaling more than $38 million in the fund as of April 1, 2012. Share
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2011 Fluke Summer Flounder Regulations Options

Written by Rod Houck

Thursday, 31 March 2011 03:55

Below are the options for the 2011 Fluke/Summer Flounder Regulations. That will be decided at the State Marine Fisheries Council meeting April 7 at 4 p.m. at the Galloway Township Library.

2010 Target = 997,000 fish Preliminary 2010 Harvest Estimate = 593,677 fish

2010 Regulations: 18? size limit; 6-fish bag limit;  open season from May 29 to Sept 6 (101 days)

2011 Target = 1,335,000 fish

1. 18 inches 8 Bag limit Season May 14 ? Sept 18 Days Open 128 Liberalization 62%

2. 18 inches 8 Bag limit Season May 7 ? Sept 25 Days Open 142 Liberalization 77%

3. 17.5 / 18 inches 1 / 5 bag limit Season May 21 ? Sept 5 Days Open 108 Liberalization 81%

4. 17 / 18 inches 1 / 5 Bag limit Season May 28 ? August 28 Days Open 93 Liberalization 81%

Option 3 with the dual size limit of 17.5 / 18 inches 1 / 5 fish reads as follows:

1-fish greater than or equal to 17.5-inches plus 5-fish greater than or equal to 18-inches

MORE COMMENTS AND INFO HERE

NEW YORK'S SALTWATER LICENSE TO BE REPEALED

Written by Jim Hutchinson, Jr.
Thursday, 24 March 2011 05:18
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......... Share
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