GScott
03-29-2009, 09:04 AM
I have not read of this here, perhaps I missed it.
I received the infomation below from a VA captain and I found it very interesting.
It's a long read but it's worth it. You will be effected. It seems the State boat license will be obsolete since boats will need to be boarded to check the Federal Registry number of everyone on board.
I'm curious as to how you guys feel about this.
GScott
"1. Angler Federal Registry- Since the federal proposed rule for salt water angler registration was released, VMRC is seriously looking at ways Virginia can meet the federal requirements. Due to years of complaints about survey results, the feds want to develop and use a data base of registered anglers to reference when conducting surveys. Therefore, a national registry of salt water angers has been mandated. Anglers can either register with the federal government, which will be free in 2010, but cost $15-25 per year beginning in 2011; or Virginia can collect the data needed by the feds through state licensing and/or registration programs and “exempt” Virginia anglers from direct federal registration and the associated federal fee. The new federal rule specifically excludes blanket boat licenses and requires individual registration. It also prohibits exemptions for blanket licenses on public piers and exemptions for fishing from private lands, which we have here in Virginia.
These requirements leave Virginia three basic options. We have listed the options below that VMRC has identified to meet the federal angler registration requirements.
Option 1
Do nothing at the state level and let their anglers comply with the federal rule by registering directly with the feds.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 1:
This option is easiest for the state government and costs the state government nothing. However, it will cost every Virginia salt water angler $15-25 per year beginning in 2011 and that money goes to the federal treasury for general use, not the state or even to federal fishery programs.
At $15-25 per registrant for the estimated 325,000 anglers; that is $4.8 million to $8.1 million Virginia citizens and visitors would have to pay in addition to the state individual or boat fishing license fees which currently costs saltwater anglers about $2.5 million.
Option 2
Modify the existing state saltwater fishing licensing program to meet the federal registration standards. This basically means licensing every angler from age 16 to 59 and somehow reporting name and contact information for those over 59 within 2 years of starting the registration program.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 2:
This has an advantage to the state of allowing any license fees accrue to the state, but makes a lot of people get licenses that did not previously require them. In Virginia, that means any person fishing on a private boat whose owner buys the boat license. The boat license would have to be eliminated under this option. Many more licenses would be sold, possibly resulting in more Wallop-Breaux grant money for Virginia and certainly more money for the Virginia Recreational Fishing Development Fund.
Using the estimate of 325,000 saltwater anglers and an individual license price of $12.50 (less $1 for dealer fees), this option could generate $3.7 million for the dedicated recreational fund each year, compared to $2.5 million generated by the current licensing program. That would provide $3.7 million for VA Saltwater Fishing Tournament, Virginia Tagging Program, ramps, reefs, piers, education, outreach, research and other programs beneficial to Virginia’s salt water anglers.
Option 2A
This option is much the same as option 2 with an adjustment to the individual license price that makes the change “revenue neutral” or at least less expensive. The “weekend pass” could be combined with this option to make cost for infrequent guests even lower.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 2A:
A license price of $8 would generate about the same revenue as the current licensing program if there are 325,000 individual licenses sold. The weekend pass would be $2.00 a person that could easily be obtained over the internet or telephone. A temporary saltwater recreational fishing license, which shall be valid for a stated period of time not to exceed ten consecutive days at a cost of five dollars would still remain in effect.
Option 3
This option would create a hybrid system using individual licenses, boat licenses, and a free or low cost individual registration system at the state level. For Virginia, this would mean we could leave the existing licensing system unchanged and require unlicensed anglers (like those fishing on private boats) to register and carry their annual registration number with them when they fish.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 3:
While this hybrid system would allow the private boat license to remain intact, it would create two systems. The existing system would be used for collecting data about licensees and a second would have to be created for registrants. The registration system would have some costs. Similar programs already in place for hunters cost about 75 cents per registrant per year from one contractor. While it may be far less if the state does the processing in-house, it could still translate into hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for Virginia. It is certain that any costs for registration system would come from the salt water license fund, not general funds. At 50 cents per registrant, it could cost us $200,000 based on 400,000 saltwater anglers.
The private boat licensing program has been popular with anglers because of the convenience of “automatically” licensing guests and because law enforcement does not have to board to check individual licenses. Regardless of the option selection, these benefits will disappear. Individual anglers will have to be licensed or registered, and the presence of a boat license will not satisfy registration for unlicensed guests. Unlicensed guests will have to register before fishing and law enforcement officers will have to check individuals for a fishing license or proof of angler registration. This could be a confusing system with serious compliance issues due to that confusion.
CCA Virginia believes there are some significant opportunities we can consider as Virginia reacts to this federal mandate. We could restructure our licensing program and generate more funds for angler supported projects. Creating a central angler registry that must be electronic and therefore legible, portable, and accessible will finally provide CCA Virginia and other angler advocates with the data needed to lobby effectively for angler issues.
And most important, we will finally provide the managers with some of the tools necessary to assure more rational and accurate assessments of angler effort and catch. This will hopefully create a better sense of fair treatment in the angling community.
During the discussion on this item, the GAO recommends that CCA VA take a position that we support Option 2A with the individual license cost at $10.00 and strike out the week-end pass option because there is already a option in the law for a 10 day temporary license for $5.00 . We need to get that recommendation approved by the Executive Committee. Also, we will take that position if approved to our quarterly meetings that we plan to set up with VMRC staff to discuss that position."
I received the infomation below from a VA captain and I found it very interesting.
It's a long read but it's worth it. You will be effected. It seems the State boat license will be obsolete since boats will need to be boarded to check the Federal Registry number of everyone on board.
I'm curious as to how you guys feel about this.
GScott
"1. Angler Federal Registry- Since the federal proposed rule for salt water angler registration was released, VMRC is seriously looking at ways Virginia can meet the federal requirements. Due to years of complaints about survey results, the feds want to develop and use a data base of registered anglers to reference when conducting surveys. Therefore, a national registry of salt water angers has been mandated. Anglers can either register with the federal government, which will be free in 2010, but cost $15-25 per year beginning in 2011; or Virginia can collect the data needed by the feds through state licensing and/or registration programs and “exempt” Virginia anglers from direct federal registration and the associated federal fee. The new federal rule specifically excludes blanket boat licenses and requires individual registration. It also prohibits exemptions for blanket licenses on public piers and exemptions for fishing from private lands, which we have here in Virginia.
These requirements leave Virginia three basic options. We have listed the options below that VMRC has identified to meet the federal angler registration requirements.
Option 1
Do nothing at the state level and let their anglers comply with the federal rule by registering directly with the feds.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 1:
This option is easiest for the state government and costs the state government nothing. However, it will cost every Virginia salt water angler $15-25 per year beginning in 2011 and that money goes to the federal treasury for general use, not the state or even to federal fishery programs.
At $15-25 per registrant for the estimated 325,000 anglers; that is $4.8 million to $8.1 million Virginia citizens and visitors would have to pay in addition to the state individual or boat fishing license fees which currently costs saltwater anglers about $2.5 million.
Option 2
Modify the existing state saltwater fishing licensing program to meet the federal registration standards. This basically means licensing every angler from age 16 to 59 and somehow reporting name and contact information for those over 59 within 2 years of starting the registration program.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 2:
This has an advantage to the state of allowing any license fees accrue to the state, but makes a lot of people get licenses that did not previously require them. In Virginia, that means any person fishing on a private boat whose owner buys the boat license. The boat license would have to be eliminated under this option. Many more licenses would be sold, possibly resulting in more Wallop-Breaux grant money for Virginia and certainly more money for the Virginia Recreational Fishing Development Fund.
Using the estimate of 325,000 saltwater anglers and an individual license price of $12.50 (less $1 for dealer fees), this option could generate $3.7 million for the dedicated recreational fund each year, compared to $2.5 million generated by the current licensing program. That would provide $3.7 million for VA Saltwater Fishing Tournament, Virginia Tagging Program, ramps, reefs, piers, education, outreach, research and other programs beneficial to Virginia’s salt water anglers.
Option 2A
This option is much the same as option 2 with an adjustment to the individual license price that makes the change “revenue neutral” or at least less expensive. The “weekend pass” could be combined with this option to make cost for infrequent guests even lower.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 2A:
A license price of $8 would generate about the same revenue as the current licensing program if there are 325,000 individual licenses sold. The weekend pass would be $2.00 a person that could easily be obtained over the internet or telephone. A temporary saltwater recreational fishing license, which shall be valid for a stated period of time not to exceed ten consecutive days at a cost of five dollars would still remain in effect.
Option 3
This option would create a hybrid system using individual licenses, boat licenses, and a free or low cost individual registration system at the state level. For Virginia, this would mean we could leave the existing licensing system unchanged and require unlicensed anglers (like those fishing on private boats) to register and carry their annual registration number with them when they fish.
CCA Virginia Analysis for Option 3:
While this hybrid system would allow the private boat license to remain intact, it would create two systems. The existing system would be used for collecting data about licensees and a second would have to be created for registrants. The registration system would have some costs. Similar programs already in place for hunters cost about 75 cents per registrant per year from one contractor. While it may be far less if the state does the processing in-house, it could still translate into hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for Virginia. It is certain that any costs for registration system would come from the salt water license fund, not general funds. At 50 cents per registrant, it could cost us $200,000 based on 400,000 saltwater anglers.
The private boat licensing program has been popular with anglers because of the convenience of “automatically” licensing guests and because law enforcement does not have to board to check individual licenses. Regardless of the option selection, these benefits will disappear. Individual anglers will have to be licensed or registered, and the presence of a boat license will not satisfy registration for unlicensed guests. Unlicensed guests will have to register before fishing and law enforcement officers will have to check individuals for a fishing license or proof of angler registration. This could be a confusing system with serious compliance issues due to that confusion.
CCA Virginia believes there are some significant opportunities we can consider as Virginia reacts to this federal mandate. We could restructure our licensing program and generate more funds for angler supported projects. Creating a central angler registry that must be electronic and therefore legible, portable, and accessible will finally provide CCA Virginia and other angler advocates with the data needed to lobby effectively for angler issues.
And most important, we will finally provide the managers with some of the tools necessary to assure more rational and accurate assessments of angler effort and catch. This will hopefully create a better sense of fair treatment in the angling community.
During the discussion on this item, the GAO recommends that CCA VA take a position that we support Option 2A with the individual license cost at $10.00 and strike out the week-end pass option because there is already a option in the law for a 10 day temporary license for $5.00 . We need to get that recommendation approved by the Executive Committee. Also, we will take that position if approved to our quarterly meetings that we plan to set up with VMRC staff to discuss that position."