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bigoutdoors · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 144 Location: windham ct

National registry set to ID recreational anglers
BY JENNIFER SMITH

Starting next year, thousands of Long Islanders who wish to fish for striped bass would have to register with the federal government.

The requirement would end a maritime tradition in the Northeast, where for the most part recreational anglers have not needed the government's permission to pursue their passion for saltwater fishing.

The national recreational registry, which would apply to all fishing in federal waters three to 200 miles offshore and striper fishing in state and federal waters, has drawn mixed reactions from Long Island's recreational fishing community.

Fishermen and tackle shop owners have opposed past efforts to set up saltwater licensing programs such as those in Florida and other states. Faced with the looming federal mandate, some on Long Island now say they would prefer a state-run program because fee revenues would at least remain in New York.

"We're interested in funds being used for fishing," said William Young, 68, of Massapequa, president of the Montauk Surfcasters Association.

The new requirement stems from the 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which governs fishing in federal waters. Registration would be free of charge until 2011, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will start charging a fee that could range $15 to $25, said NOAA fisheries biologist Gordon Colvin.

States can exempt their fishermen from the federal registry requirement by setting up their own program and submitting the data -- names, addresses, and telephone numbers -- directly to NOAA.

At a State Assembly hearing in Farmingdale yesterday on compliance with the law, New York environmental commissioner Pete Grannis said his agency is leaning toward a more sweeping state licensing program. It could encompass fishing in state waters and include more species.

"We believe that a state license would be a win-win for New York State," Grannis said.

The commissioner noted that New York's two other options for federal compliance -- having state fishermen register directly with the federal government, or setting up the state program that mirrors the federal provisions -- would not provide a "complete picture" of New York recreational fishing.

The new national registry is intended to provide scientists with more accurate fishing data by creating a national "telephone book" of anglers so they can be readily surveyed. Scientists use the survey information to set catch limits on fish species and help managers to make policies that help overfished populations.

The recreational data now are compiled through dockside surveys and random telephone polling among coastal communities. A recent National Academy of Sciences review of that system criticized it as inaccurate and unsuitable for fisheries management, and called for an immediate overhaul. Many in the recreational fishing industry blame the early shuttering of New York's summer flounder season last year on inaccurate data indicating that recreational fishermen would soon exceed their 2007 state quota.

Still, some Long Islanders remain suspicious. Dennis Cataldo of the New York Sportfishing Federation, said recreational anglers should get more rewards for submitting to a licensing program, such as exclusive access to striped bass and blackfish.

Bait and tackle shop owners have asked the state Department of Environmental Conservation to phase in any license fees over time. That way, shoppers looking to pick up a cheap rod and some bait don't retreat in the face of sticker shock from a $20 license.

"This is something that has been free forever," said John Mantione of the New York Fishing and Tackle Trade Association.

A state licensing program would allow money from fees to stay in New York and pay for local management and conservation programs, but would also require legislative approval. Connecticut lawmakers are weighing whether to adopt a state marine fishing license law, while New Jersey is considering how to approach the issues