National Marine Fisheries Service to Create Saltwater Angler Registry in 2010
By National Marine Fisheries Service
Published: December 23, 2008
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Final  rule gives states more time to implement local data  gathering
Just a few days after delaying a decision, NOAA’s Fisheries  Service released its final rule today to create a national saltwater angler  registry of all marine recreational fishermen to help the nation better protect  our shared marine resources. A requirement to establish a registry was included  in a statute approved by Congress in 2007.

The final rule  requires anglers and spearfishers who fish recreationally in federal ocean  waters to be included in the national saltwater angler registry by January 1,  2010.  NOAA had originally proposed that registration be required beginning in  January 2009, but based on public input decided to give states another year to  put in place their own data collection systems.  

NOAA received  nearly 500 comments from anglers, state officials, and fishing and environmental  organizations on its proposed national registry rule during the comment period  from June 12 until Aug. 21. The registry is one component of the agency's new  Marine Recreational Information Program, an initiative to enhance data  collection on recreational catch and effort.

To read the final  registry rule and other information about the Marine Recreational Information  Program, go to: <a href="http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/" title="http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/">http://www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov

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