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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. expressed his strenuous opposition to a mandatory saltwater license directly to Dr. William Hogarth, Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today at a House Resources Committee hearing today.
In response to questions from Pallone, a senior member of the House Resources Committee, Hogarth admitted that the Bush administration planned to implement a mandatory recreational saltwater angler registration system and to charge anglers $20 to $25 annually.
"I want to emphasize that recreational anglers in my district and across New Jersey are strongly opposed to a saltwater license that includes a fee," Pallone said at today's committee hearing.
Hogarth also admitted that the current Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) system of recreational data collection was designed to observe long-term trends and was not intended for use in making stock allocation decisions. A recent report by the National Research Council found that, "users' concerns about the use of MRFSS in fishery management are justified" and that MRFSS "should be completely redesigned."
Pallone also expressed concern about the use of mandatory total allowable catch (TAC) limits for the recreational sector. The New Jersey congressman pressed Hogarth further when he asked about the use of MRFSS data if Congress were to legislate the use of such TAC limits.
"Without more accurate recreational catch data than what we get from MRFSS, how can you justify requiring a hard TAC for recreational fishermen?" Pallone asked.
"It would be difficult," Hogarth replied. He also noted that NMFS is committed to developing a new recreational data collection system to replace MRFSS.
Pallone's questions came during a hearing in the House Resources Committee on reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which regulates fishing in waters from three to 200 miles offshore. |
