Drumdum
05-10-2005, 05:06 AM
By PATRICIA SMITH
DAILY NEWS STAFF
MOREHEAD CITY - State lawmakers might cut bait on a saltwater recreational fishing license passed into law last year if the Senate budget as currently written is passed. A provision in the proposed budget approved Thursday by the state Senate would scrap the license altogether if changes are not made - a provision that drew mixed reactions along the coast where the license has been debated for years.
"Cool!" said Jerry Schill, president of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, a commercial fishing trade group that opposes a saltwater recreational fishing license. "If they don't amend it, then we'll get what we want."
Preston Pate, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, said the provision puts pressure on supporters of the license to reach an agreement between the Senate and House versions of bills that would amend the coastal recreational fishing license law.
"That's just another element complicating the process of reaching a compromise," Pate said.
The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, a sportsfishing group that has pushed for a saltwater recreational fishing license for years, also questioned the Senate proposal, said Mike Ward, president of CCA-NC. He said his group does not like the Senate provision.
Many sportsfishermen criticized last year's legislation for not exempting those who had purchased lifetime fishing licenses from the Wildlife Resources Commission under the belief that they would never need another license to fish in North Carolina waters.
"We'd rather have that than nothing," Ward said.
Ward said his group is urging House members to go forward with some type of amendments.
Schill, however, said he questions whether the proposal will even make it through the House.
"That's just some senator or a group of senators making a strong statement," Schill said.
The Senate passed a bill earlier this year that keeps the $15 per year license, which was passed last year, but exempts from it those who held one of several Wildlife Resources Commission lifetime licenses before Jan. 1, 2005.
It also sets up a blanket license that charter boat owners can purchase to cover customers fishing on their vessels.
However, the Senate changes would give full authority for administering the license and spending revenues from it to the Wildlife Resources Commission. The House version of the bill asks the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture to study which agency should be in charge of the money.
The law passed last year established a board of trustees, appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro-tem, to make those decisions.
Neither the governor nor the Senate president pro-tem ever made their appointments. Only House Speaker Jim Black followed through
DAILY NEWS STAFF
MOREHEAD CITY - State lawmakers might cut bait on a saltwater recreational fishing license passed into law last year if the Senate budget as currently written is passed. A provision in the proposed budget approved Thursday by the state Senate would scrap the license altogether if changes are not made - a provision that drew mixed reactions along the coast where the license has been debated for years.
"Cool!" said Jerry Schill, president of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, a commercial fishing trade group that opposes a saltwater recreational fishing license. "If they don't amend it, then we'll get what we want."
Preston Pate, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, said the provision puts pressure on supporters of the license to reach an agreement between the Senate and House versions of bills that would amend the coastal recreational fishing license law.
"That's just another element complicating the process of reaching a compromise," Pate said.
The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina, a sportsfishing group that has pushed for a saltwater recreational fishing license for years, also questioned the Senate proposal, said Mike Ward, president of CCA-NC. He said his group does not like the Senate provision.
Many sportsfishermen criticized last year's legislation for not exempting those who had purchased lifetime fishing licenses from the Wildlife Resources Commission under the belief that they would never need another license to fish in North Carolina waters.
"We'd rather have that than nothing," Ward said.
Ward said his group is urging House members to go forward with some type of amendments.
Schill, however, said he questions whether the proposal will even make it through the House.
"That's just some senator or a group of senators making a strong statement," Schill said.
The Senate passed a bill earlier this year that keeps the $15 per year license, which was passed last year, but exempts from it those who held one of several Wildlife Resources Commission lifetime licenses before Jan. 1, 2005.
It also sets up a blanket license that charter boat owners can purchase to cover customers fishing on their vessels.
However, the Senate changes would give full authority for administering the license and spending revenues from it to the Wildlife Resources Commission. The House version of the bill asks the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture to study which agency should be in charge of the money.
The law passed last year established a board of trustees, appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro-tem, to make those decisions.
Neither the governor nor the Senate president pro-tem ever made their appointments. Only House Speaker Jim Black followed through