mcgill
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Beginning January 1, 2010, recreational anglers who fish in federal waters are required to be registered each year with NOAA Fisheries. The proposed rule also requires registration by those who may catch anadromous species such as salmon, striped bass, smelt, and shad that spawn in rivers and streams and spend their adult lives in estuaries and the ocean. Registration will be free for the first year.
The national registry of saltwater anglers is the key to closing a major gap in information on recreational fishing, improving the efficiency and accuracy of surveys. It will also help NOAA demonstrate the economic value of saltwater recreational fishing on local and national economies and allow the agency to get a more accurate picture of the level of participation by the American public in saltwater fishing.
NOAA Fisheries has implemented the final federal rule for the National Saltwater Angler Registry, a requirement of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act and an important component of the broader initiative to improve the quality of recreational fishing data. The rule outlines the process NOAA Fisheries will use for registering saltwater recreational anglers. It also addresses the qualifications and procedures for exempting states and their anglers from the federal registration requirement.
Anglers may be exempt from federal registration if they fish in a state that already has a program in place to account for all of its saltwater anglers. The rule outlines possible exemptions for states that have a comprehensive saltwater fishing license or a regional angler survey program approved by NOAA Fisheries. In addition, anglers fishing from licensed for-hire vessels and anglers under the age of 16 are also exempt.
For more information about the registry visit www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov.
The national registry of saltwater anglers is the key to closing a major gap in information on recreational fishing, improving the efficiency and accuracy of surveys. It will also help NOAA demonstrate the economic value of saltwater recreational fishing on local and national economies and allow the agency to get a more accurate picture of the level of participation by the American public in saltwater fishing.
NOAA Fisheries has implemented the final federal rule for the National Saltwater Angler Registry, a requirement of the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act and an important component of the broader initiative to improve the quality of recreational fishing data. The rule outlines the process NOAA Fisheries will use for registering saltwater recreational anglers. It also addresses the qualifications and procedures for exempting states and their anglers from the federal registration requirement.
Anglers may be exempt from federal registration if they fish in a state that already has a program in place to account for all of its saltwater anglers. The rule outlines possible exemptions for states that have a comprehensive saltwater fishing license or a regional angler survey program approved by NOAA Fisheries. In addition, anglers fishing from licensed for-hire vessels and anglers under the age of 16 are also exempt.
For more information about the registry visit www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov.
- <LI class=body_text>Who will have to register? All anglers and spear fishermen who fish in federal waters (3-200 miles from shore) and anglers and spear fishermen who may catch anadromous fish (such as striped bass, shad, salmon, smelt) in any tidal waters. Also for-hire vessel operators who are not already federally or state licensed.
<LI class=body_text>Who will NOT have to register?
The following people are exempt from registering:- <LI class=body_text>Children under the age of 16. <LI class=body_text>Persons angling from a licensed for-hire vessel (party and charter boats). <LI class=body_text>Persons with a valid saltwater fishing license from a state that collects and provides the required registry information to NOAA Fisheries (As of 1/1/2010, approved states are AK, WA, OR, CA, TX, LA, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, NY, CT).
- Other minor exemptions (see the proposed rules).
<LI class=body_text>How will you be able to register? Go to www.countmyfish.noaa.gov or call 1-888-674-7411.
<LI class=body_text>What information will you need to provide? The proposed rules call for individuals to submit their: name; address; phone number; and region of the country they intend to fish. The information would remain confidential and used only for the purpose of gathering information on recreational saltwater fishing trips.
<LI class=body_text>When do I have to register? It is important that all saltwater anglers be aware of the new requirement to register beginning in January 2010.
<LI class=body_text>Some states have a saltwater fishing license; will anglers in those states still have to register? Having a resident saltwater fishing license from a state that collects and provides the required registry information to NOAA Fisheries would exempt an angler from having to register, because their state would automatically take care of that with the information provided for the license.
- Is there a plan for New Hampshire to have a state saltwater license, so that registry fees paid by anglers would go the state instead of to the federal government? A saltwater license was approved this year by the NH State Legislature and signed by the Governor. The license will go into effect January 1, 2011, and will cost $15 for residents and non-residents.
- What if I have a saltwater license in another state - will I need to buy a NH saltwater fishing license? The law implementing NH's saltwater license provides for reciprocity only with Maine and Massachusetts, provided they also offer reciprocity for our licensed saltwater anglers. Licenses from other Atlantic states will not qualify.
