This was in the latest Rappahannock Record. - Mike G
Saltwater recreational
anglers are required
to join national registry
Most saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register with The National Saltwater Angler Registry before casting a line in 2010.
The registry launched January 1 will provide a comprehensive list of the nation’s saltwater anglers that will be used to improve surveys of fishermen. These surveys will be used by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists to assess the health of fish stocks and to estimate the economic contributions of anglers.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water.
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration—Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Washington.
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military.
• Are under age 16.
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats.
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit.
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register, visit countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call 1-888-674-7411 from 4 a.m. to 12 midnight daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number to allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish, according to Balsiger. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s.
The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties, he said.
Saltwater recreational
anglers are required
to join national registry
Most saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register with The National Saltwater Angler Registry before casting a line in 2010.
The registry launched January 1 will provide a comprehensive list of the nation’s saltwater anglers that will be used to improve surveys of fishermen. These surveys will be used by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists to assess the health of fish stocks and to estimate the economic contributions of anglers.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water.
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration—Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Washington.
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military.
• Are under age 16.
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats.
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit.
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register, visit countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call 1-888-674-7411 from 4 a.m. to 12 midnight daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number to allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish, according to Balsiger. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s.
The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties, he said.