NJ. fishing license ?

[Quadruplecccc]

Hi all! Was talking to a fellow recently who swears he read that NJ  will have everyone purchase a saltwater fishing license. I've not heard this personally so I figured I would ask all you well informed people here. What have you heard on this ??

[blynch]

it seems inevitable that we will need one within the next 2-3 years.  Personally, i don't mind if the money will be put back towards the fisheries.

[mchizhik]

...sure....the money actually makes it back to help...kinda like parkway tolls payin for the parkway.

[Luna Sea 5]

i haven't heard anything yet on it

[bassnblues]

Nuthin' yet...the only way I won't be P.Oed (not that anyone would care anyway...)is if it is issued by and the money goes to the Fish and Game dept...

[Pfishingruven]

I haven't heard anything and don't see anything on the State Website.  I am sure it is in the works though.  My guess is it will be announced sometime this year to begin on Jan 1, 2010.

I don't mind having to buy the license either, as long as the money goes back to the State Fisheries.  Hopefully, the state will have a combo or all in one license so that no one has to have a freshwater and saltwater license ?

 

[striperdad]

This will be like the lottery going towards education. 

[IrishAyes]

This will be like the lottery going towards education. 

See that, you did learn something. That's what education is all about.

[Bucktail]

You think with all that lottery money going for education, people would wise up and stop playing the lottery!

[wb]

yep, and gambling money will be AC's savior too. 

[Wreckfish]

Well, the current feshwater fishing and hunting license monies go into the general fund and not directly back to F&G. I suspect the saltwater license will do the same. 

[IrishAyes]

I agree. There was no recent talk of a saltwater license prior to the feds wanting a registry.

The registry the feds want is only a list the names, addresses and phone numbers of people who own boats. They want this information so they (the feds)can conduct their survey on fish catches. This registry can be done without a paid license for saltwater fishing.

That leads me to conclude that the state would have no intention of putting this money into any fishing/outdoor fund as they were not yelling that they needed money for any type of saltwater fishing related funding. The money collected from any license fees will only be used so the politicians have more money to spend. That is the sad part about this.

[Great American Fisherman]

I have no problem paying the $15 for a license.  I want to know if it will be just a general saltwater license?  Of will there be stamps.  As in trout.  If you fish on party boats you will be covered. 

Here is the problem I have.  We BETTER have something to fish for.  The government screws us with the Fluke every year.  2009 and beyond does not look any different.  Sea Bass is going up half an inch.  No big deal there.  I guess Porgy's are going to 12 inches.  That kills the inshore Porgy trips.  Offshore is no issue.

Again, we better have something to fish for.  We better not have to pay for even more regulations when now we get regulated to death and we don't pay.

To think, we elect these people and we pay their salaries.  For what?  Nothing!!

[IrishAyes]

I am not happy having to paying for a saltwater license if that license does not do anything for me but allow me to fish? That is like paying a fee to allow a person to breath.

If the money for the saltwater license was going to be used for the sport of saltwaterfishing in some fashion, I would not object to it.

[Great American Fisherman]

Joe,

Its the same for freshwater.  You pay to fish.  I have not fished for trout in about 5 years now.  To be honest, I'd rather fish the ocean.  Its just me.  I'm hoping we sail this Friday on that Ling trip.  I'd rather fish the Mud Hole than stand in the South Brach.  Again, just me. 

I will get one.  Even though most of my fishing is on a party boat.  So I am covered.  But, I feel I should get one if its what we have to do.  I do a little on the beach, only on vacation.  And I have an open invitaion on someones private boat in AH to fish with them.  So I would need one anyway. 

If I lived in NY and was a big time FLuker, I would write to the governor and tell him you lost my revenue.  You are wanting my money and I have nothing to fish for.

Its all a joke.  Sorry I am so negative, but its really a joke.  As I said, we elect these clowns and we pay their salaries and health care that we can't get.

Later

[Capt Craig]

Well I think the license is inevitable. Like everyone else I want the money to go back into the fisheries. But the reality is that it probably will not.

I heard some talk a while back and it sounds like it may be a year or two away.

[Pops Soul]

IF and WHEN a License goes into affect I hope they take into consideration the amount of people who live out of state like myself who have their own boats and fish regularly. If I have to pay $40 dollars for a out of state fishing license for me, wife, and my boys who are over 16. It can get crazy, so much for keeping family's fishing, plus the amount of people who travel to the state during the summer months and fish the head boats and beaches. If this happens once again the tackle shops and folks who make their living taking people fishing will be hurt. If they let me get a fishing license for my boat and anyone that fishes  from it that would be nice. Which I'm sure they would do for Charter and Party/Head Boats. As Capt. Joe said The Money has to go to the right place. JUST MY TWO CENTS 

[Fishin Dude]

If New Jersey can make some money off of it, then it will pass into law. Yes we will be paying to fish here inN J waters, also in NY, Delaware,& Pennslyvania waters. Hey, how about the NJSP sending their patrol boats, armed with the soon to be outlawed (for us) 50 cal. weapons, to enforce Jerseys license requirments. Then we can have some BWB shootings! <'((((><

[PeggyLee]

It will be the next wedge between us and our money. It will start of ATTEMPTING to be put towards the right place and cause and utimately be put into the GENERAL fund. And we all know where that money goes....   

[Bucktail]

From what I understand (and that's not much ) they are claiming that the administration of this registration/license is going to cost around $1,000,0000.  I just don't see how it can possibly cost that much. 

NJ already has a computerized license system in place.  It has been around for almost three years now.  So they wouldn't have to print new license books like they used to do.  All they have to do is add it to the already existing system.  They could even have folks register on their home computers.  Collecting whatever data they would require of each angler would also be computerized.

How can it possibly cost that much?