This is an email I just sent to guys on my email list who fish saltwater. Feel free to cut and paste and sent to your friends, relatives, etc.
If you plan on doing any salt water fishing in 2011 you will need to register with the feds (same as for 2010) becasue NJ does not have a license or registry for the feds to contact you for their survey. (Yeah, I know, it is stupid but it is what it is)
Anyway, when you register you are good for one year from the day you register. Beginning on January 1, 2011, you will be charged $15 for the registration fee. Therefore, if you register prior to January 1, 2011, you will not be charged a fee and can fish 'for free' until your registration expires. So, register in December, 2010 and you are good until Dec, 2011, with no fee involved!
This will verify what I have just said:
According to the verbiage in 600.1410 Subpart P-Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States under the Registry process 600.1410 section, number (d), starting on page 79,718 it states: "NMFS will issue a registration number and certificate to registrants. A registration number and certificate will be valid for one year from the date on which it was issued."
50 CFR 600 Marine Recreational Fisheries of the United States
Due to the registration process as defined by the National Marine Fisheries Service New Jersey anglers can register on December 31, 2010 and not pay a fee associated with the Federal Angler Registry for 2011 up to December 30, 2011. I am sure many anglers will take advantage of this loophole in the registration process in the event that New Jersey does not pass legislation for a free or nominal fee registry in 2010.
Please pass this along to all of your fishing buddies who would like to save $15 next year. I got the second part, where it verifies what I said, from a post from NJDiver. Again, good find NJDiver and thanks for posting that.
Joe
