President's Newsletter.

May 2007

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT 101

If you have been following John McMurray’s articles in Flyfishing in Saltwater, like I have, then you obtained a good insight into the workings of NOAA as well as the major provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act of 2006. President Bush signed this legislation into law on January 12^th of this year.

If you go to the NOAA website (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/) you can learn for yourself what it is all about. One of the provisions that got my attention was the establishment of a national registry of recreational anglers. The purpose of this registry is to enable the federal government to collect better data on the impact that recreational   fisherman have on both the economy and the fishery.

Those of us who were on the fence about a state salt water license will now have to get off that fence. The way I see it, if a national registry is the law, how far behind can a national license be?  According to the new law, the registry will not go into effect for a couple of years. It also says that if a particular state already has a recreational registry or state saltwater license those anglers will be exempt from the national registry.  Presumably the data would be collected on a state level and then passed on to the appropriate federal agency.

One of the main objections to a state license is the fear that any fee would end up in the general fund and not be dedicated to improving and protecting our fisheries. Should a federal license prevail, that fear takes on a new dimension as the vision of that “bridge to nowhere” comes into focus. At least with a state license we will know where the bridge is.

In the best of all worlds the funds would be dedicated for the purpose intended and the only bridge would be the one between the commercial and recreational fisherman joined as one force to oppose all who would harm our precious resource.

I would like to know what all of you think about this topic. Our July meeting will be an open meeting at which time we could discuss it. If you wish, send me an email.  The Salty's should also speak with one voice on topics that affect us as a club and as sport fisherman.  We are potentially 300 strong and if we acted as one, we could have a significant impact on a local level.

We will also have a swap meet that night so if you have any fishing gear to sell or swap that will be the time.

Our May 7^th meeting will be at the APEC and will feature members Bob and John of River Bay Outfitters with an exciting presentation on fishing those nooks and crannies of Long Island in a kayak.

Keep ‘em tight

Bill