Van Drew fights saltwaters anglers fee

[Fishing Report]

. Van Drew fights saltwaters anglers fee

Christie has until Feb. 20 to approve free fishing legislation

Should saltwater anglers pay a fee to fish New Jersey’s waterways?

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew thinks fishing should be free in the Garden State, home of the nation’s highest taxes, tolls and realty transfer fees. And he has a lot of anglers on his side.

A grassroots lobbying campaign by the state’s Recreational Fishing Alliance, bolstered by coastal business owners and fishing clubs, helped Van Drew usher legislation through the state’s legislative body. Approved by both the senate and assembly but mired in bureaucracy and politics, the “free registry bill” is sitting on Gov. Chris Christie’s desk.

“This is a biggie,” said Van Drew.

“A lot of folks feel anglers should have to pay a fee to fish in the ocean; we don’t,” said Jim Hutchinson, director of the RFA. “A fee to fish does not help our communities. It only adds another obstacle to fishing. We know New Jersey is in a financial mess, we’ve been working on this for three years.”

The federal government is requiring every state to establish a fishing registry. Hawaii and New Jersey are the lone holdouts.

“They want to know how many fish are caught, and they won’t use science,” Van Drew said. “They cold call, from a list, like going through the phone book. If the state doesn’t do it, the federal government will. Obviously, it behooves us to have an accurate registry.”

Credible data helps avoid a marine fisheries shut down. It’s imperative, he said, that an anglers’ bounty is accurately recorded. The marine fisheries budget is strapped, but Van Drew said he would not support one more tax or fee.

“I said, ‘You know what? Let’s do something different,’” he said. “Let’s establish a registry in New Jersey with no charge. We could say, ‘Hey folks, if you want to fish in New Jersey, you can fish with no fee.’ We have the highest taxes, fees and tolls in the nation. It would be the one time you could get a break.”

Dozens of bait and tackle shops have closed in recent years, he noted.

“Where we live, people care about fishing,” he said. “It went through the senate 36-0, a unanimous vote. The bureaucracy is trying to convince the governor that we need a fee.”

“There’s no reason we can’t do this,” he said, adding that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection disagrees. “They say, ‘If you do this fee you’ll create more money to do the scientific research.’ Well, the bureaucracy created with the fee and compliance will see to it that there’s no money left for the science we need. You’ll need compliance officers. Can that possibly be a good idea?”

Van Drew said he’s optimistic that Christie will sign the bill.

“Every time we were promised that if we only raised a fee or a sales tax it would cure some problem, it’s never happened,” he said. “They said increase the sales tax to 7 percent and it would take care of property tax hikes. The real estate transfer tax and the room tax just created more bureaucracy, and they spent the money. They put an excise tax on fishing tackle. The $2.5 million was going to be the answer. It never ends.

“We need to enhance tourism, and what better way to do it than free fishing?” he said. “It’s symbolic. New Jersey could be a real leader on this. The bureaucrats are pushing for a tax and we’re saying, ‘C’mon, this one time let’s let the fishermen breathe.’ We would gain more revenue back for the state by doing something bold to promote fishing. Think of all the bait and tackle, fishing equipment, restaurant dinners and everything else fishermen buy. A fee would damper the environment and that’s not good,”

James Donofrio, RFA executive director, said registry opponents have tried desperately to sabotage this legislation.

“We’re not going to sit back and let that happen without a fight,” he said. The legislation was not designed to provide funding for the DEP. The RFA has made numerous attempts to help the state devise funding initiatives to support marine fisheries programs.

“There is a need to get a registry program in place as quickly as possible,” he said. “The DEP has been unwilling to discuss any funding options other than a saltwater user fee, while the anti-registry movement has attempted to disparage all alternative funding options outside a direct fee to fish the coastal waters.”

In 2006, anglers spent $640 million on saltwater tackle.

“That’s over $40 million in tax, plus another $64 million in excise tax,” Hutchinson said. “In 2011, New Jersey will qualify to receive $2.4 million with 60 percent earmarked for salt water to fund programs and initiatives. That’s $1.5 million.”

Hutchinson said Van Drew’s support has been “awesome.”

“We are lucky to have him in Cape May County,” said Hutchinson. “He’s very well informed about fishing issues. He gets it – we don’t need to make fishing more expensive. We need to encourage people to fish, cut them a break.”

Assemblyman Nelson Albano and Matt Milam have “worked their butts off,” he said.

”Gov. Christie has 45 days from January 6 to react,” he said. “We’re very hopeful and confident he will sign it.”

If he does, New Jersey would stand out as a fishing haven.

“While others charge, New Jersey could be free,” he said. “It would increase tackle sales and the money coming into the treasury would soar. It would be a great return on investment. For every dollar a fisherman spends on bait, tackle and equipment, he spends another dollar somewhere else to support tourism.

“If we don’t put this in place, the federal government will institute a $15 fee,” he said.

“We have a shot to do something unique – free fishing,” said Van Drew.

Jingles Bait and Tackle
1214 Long Beach Blvd.
Beach Haven, NJ
(609) 492-2795
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