colliwh

At the Pirates Cove school yesterday there was a session led by a NOAA Special Agent and an officer from Marine Fisheries relative to regulation enforcement. That was the first time I had been able to get a question and answer session with someone that knew about this law that is on the books to be implemented next January. Some of the interesting things I learned if I understood this all correctly......

* this isn't just a "Saltwater" license......it covers everything from the "inland waters" that are currently covered under your NC fishing license or Sportman's license to the 3 mile limit........that means a heck of a lot of fresh water too......like Albemarle Sound, Currituck Sound, etc.
* a Lifetime Sportsman license does NOT cover this saltwater license
* if you are over 18 and put a single crab pot in the water you will need this $15 license. If you want to get into a "big time" operation, you can get a Commercial Recreational Gear license and you can put a whole 5 pots in the water.....any more than that and you need a full commercial license
* same thing if you are over 18 with a clam rake in your hand.......$15 bucks please....
* this will be a paperless license as your name and other data will be stored on an electronic database. When asked how an officer would assure that the person was who they claimed to be without boarding the vessel to see some kinda picture ID, the comment was made "that is one of the enforcement concerns we are trying to develop an answer to."

There was more that I won't bother to go into right now.......suffice it to say that I learned a lot, and feel sorry for the MFC and WRC officers that will have to enforce this thing. I personally believe that some type of license as a means to provide funding for necessary recreational fishing improvements is a good thing.........I just believe that we should have had a bit better law to begin with. Maybe there will be some good amendments before implementation in January.

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Woody

fish factory

It is my understanding one will need a SW license to throw a cast net for shrimp off their own dock.

From your post, it seems I don't need a license if I am more than 3 miles out. This is contrary to what I have heard.

A definition of "fishing" is any boat w/rods and reels. If there are 4 people in boat, riding in ICW, and the boat has rods and reels, all 4 (over 18) must have licenses.

You can feel sorry for the NC wildlife bunch. They will be reaping (or rapeing) the benefits of this huge influx of cash. As I understand, the new "law" allows for the "costs of enforcement" to be paid for with license reciepts.

I believe the license will go into effect mid-year, July 1, thus requiring the average recreational fisherman to in effect have to buy 2 licenses the first 12 mos of use.

IMO the NC salt license was a poorly concieved idea hastily pushed thru by some confused "do-gooders" and now we will suffer the results.

Red Rider

Actually you won't need a license if you fish more than three miles out. But you will need the license when you come back inshore.

Currently you can leave from Va. waters and fish, 3 miles+ off NC waters and return to Va. waters, but you better have a VA license. After NC gets their SW license in effect, anyone fishing (recreationally) outside the 3 mile limit anywhere on the east coast, will have to have a license that is recognized by which ever state they come ashore in.

Technically this would mean that if you launched from Va., waters, and planned on fishing 3 miles+ off NC and plan on returning to Va. waters, you would be OK with a Va. license. But if for some reason you came ashore in NC waters, you would be required to have a NC license. I am sure that if it was an emergency that caused you to land in NC you might not get a ticket. But if you came ashore just to get some beer or for some other reason you would probably get a ticket. As things are, there is a not reciprocity agreement for saltwater recreational fishing as there is for freshwater fishing in joint waters.

By the way DMF has asked the state to make some changes and clarifications in the regulations for the rec SW license, and also to delay its start date until 1 Jan 2007.

colliwh

Rider is exactly right......that was another of the many things I learned........let's say you legally catch and possess a tuna at the Point, you don't need a Saltwater License......BUT, just as soon as you cross the NC territorial waters 3 miles out, you will need that NC license to possess that fish.....even though you caught it in Federal waters.......boy is that logical? So, if you don't want to buy the license, as long as you don't keep anything, you can fish all you want offshore and still come home again

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Woody

Red Rider

Well actually you would need a Federal license for a tuna.



But if it was a plane ol' pinfish or other common fish you wouldn't need one until you got back into state waters. Fishing is getting complicated ain't it?

colliwh

[quote]colliwh - 3/13/2005 6:53 PM

.....let's say you legally catch and possess a tuna at the Point, you don't need a Saltwater License...."

Red.....that's why I said "legally catch and possess a tuna" in my post

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Woody

sea byrd

In respect to all that extra money you think is for enforcement, think again, there is a specific clause that prohibits the use of any of the revenues for enforcement and thats one of the biggest flaws in the liscence.

Drifter

Apparently, this portion of the issue may not be a done deal. I recently received a survey that suggested some considerations may be made for NC Lifetime Sportsman license holders, and they are currently trying to determine how many of these license holders engage in saltwater fishing. Time will tell...

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Drifter

moorhen

colliwh, Wouldn't you need a NC license to transport the rods through state waters?

colliwh

moorhen.......as dumb as parts of this law currently are, that might be true. Maybe we should think about getting the NRA involved in this.......I think the State may be infringing on my rights to keep and bear rods.......that was the National Rod Association. Personally, I think that keeping rods in my boat or my home is a personal thing and I am a consenting adult

Seriously, there are so many enforcement holes in the law as it stands now tha need to be addressed. This will be a quagmire for both those trying to comply with it and those trying to enforce it.

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Woody

moorhen

It will, indeed, be a mess until everything settles out. I suppose there needs to be a big public information blitz when the powers that be finally come to an agreement on exactly how everything is going to work. I just hope it has the desired effect predicted by those who pushed it so hard. Time will tell. I don't see letting it become a pain in my neck.

Pretty soon the legislators may start infringing on our rights to arm bears or to bare arms.

I wonder if we will need a concealed carry permit to walk around with takedown travel rods?