Thursday, November 30, 2006

North Carolina Watermen United Seeks License Exemption

North Carolina Watermen United, a commercial fishing trade organization, is seeking an exemption from the saltwater recreational fishing license requirement that goes into effect January 1st. In a resolution submitted to the NC Marine Fisheries Commission they argue that many charter boats are already licensed through commercial fishing vessel registration and therefore are already subject to the state's data collection needs. In addition to the additional revenue the new saltwater license will generate for conservation projects, the state is also leveraging the license to develop more accurate catch estimates. Preston Pate, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries, disagrees with NCWU. "They're trying to mix two separate license requirements that are established for different reasons. The vessel owners hold commercial licenses because they sometimes fish to sell their catch. But when they fish recreationally, they should be subject to the recreational license requirements", Pate said. More on NC Watermen United's exemption is available from the Jacksonville Daily News.

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