Thoughts on a Saltwater Fishing License

If the federal government has its way, it will make it mandatory for NY saltwater anglers to purchase a fishing license, and the funds generated will go to the federal coffers and not NYS's. The reason being that NYSDEC doesn't require a sporting license to fish in salt water. That situation is being considered in the proposal to implement a regulation requiring ALL anglers, both fresh water and salt water, to purchase a fishing license so the funds generated would stay in NYS.

Anglers fishing in NY's fresh waters have been required to be licensed for many decades, with the money generated going to the Conservation Fund to fund fisheries management programs and enforcement. The question arises ... why should anglers fishing in fresh waters foot the bill for salt water anglers who basically have been getting a lifetime free ride? At least if a NYS license is required to fish either fresh or salt water, the money generated would remain here and could be used to improve and manage all fishing endeavors and programs.

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The Economics
of Hunting

Total U.S. retail spending annually

by hunters: NEARLY $25 BILLION
$60,000,000/Yr. in New York For Pheasant Hunting Alone
and the Governor and NYSDEC want to
axe our entire pheasant program?

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