Am I completely stupid or is this article just plain wrong?

[Squidnation]

I just read this article in the Maryland Coastal Dispatch. To me it seems completely inaccurate. I hope some poor schmoo doesn't read this and think its correct although I guess it wouldn't hurt anything.


http://www.mdcoastdispatch.com/artic...cid=30&id=9103



From the Maryland Coastal Dispatch

Tourney Drama Raises Local Fishing Questions




By Shawn J. Soper, News Editor
Originally published July 2, 2010



OCEAN CITY – After a Virginia angler and crew lost over $1 million over the lack of a $30 North Carolina fishing license during the Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament in mid-June, questions have been raised about the need for the proper permits and licenses for anglers as Ocean City rolls into the height of its summer offshore tournament season.

On June 14, angler Andy Thomasson and the crew aboard the Virginia-based “Citation” landed an 883-pound blue marlin on the first day of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, N.C. and the record fish, the largest blue marlin caught in the tournament’s 52-year history, held on all week for first place and an apparent check for $1.2 million. However, before the crew on the “Citation” was awarded its $1.2 million prize, it became evident a 22-year-old college student on board, who did not catch the fish, drive the boat or even handle the tackle, did not have a current North Carolina fishing license and the record blue was disqualified.

According to reports, when the record blue was boated the individual realized he had a North Carolina permit at one time, but didn’t know its status. When the “Citation” got within wireless range, he checked the status of his license online and found it had indeed expired. He quickly re-registered, about two hours after the big blue had been boated, but the damage had been done. The “Citation” was disqualified and the tournament’s top prize went to the crew on the “Carnivore” for its second-place 528-pound blue marlin.

The remarkable fish tale spread quickly through the fishing community up and down the east coast including Ocean City, where the resort area is on the cusp of another big tournament season, including next week’s Ocean City Tuna Tournament and the White Marlin Open in the first week of August. In the interest of avoiding any similar controversy during next month’s White Marlin Open (WMO), tournament founder and director Jim Motsko last week began looking into the state and federal permit and license requirements for anglers participating in the WMO.

“I just want to make sure we know exactly what permits and registrations are required by the state and the federal government before we have a situation unfold like we saw with the Big Rock,” said Motsko this week. “I don’t want anybody to come up on the last day of the tournament and call into question the paperwork of one of the anglers or even a participant riding along on one of the boats.”

First and foremost, beginning on Jan. 1 of this year, every saltwater angler in Maryland was required to register with the federal National Saltwater Angler Registry, a initiative started this year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to better track catch data used to determine fisheries regulations. Absent a statewide fishing license in Maryland, NOAA started the National Saltwater Angler Registry (NSAR) this year and all anglers fishing on the coastal side of the state are required to register before fishing with certain exceptions.

For example, holders of a federal Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit, which includes just about every captain, mate and angler who regularly fishes for marlin, tuna, dolphin, shark and other species off the coast, are not required to register with the NSAR. However, occasional anglers who do not hold an HMS permits are required to register.

“There is currently no license required for fishing the coast of Maryland, but beginning this year, anglers are required to register with the National Registry,” said Joe Evans of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Service. “It was started this year to allow federal fisheries management agencies to better track catch data so they can make better decisions about season closures and quotas. It was something the anglers wanted because it creates a better data collection system. Before, they had no idea who was fishing and what they were catching, so all of the activity out in the ocean was sort of off the radar.”

Evans said signing up for the NSAR is free and takes just minutes on-line or over the phone.

“It’s so easy and it’s free, so anybody thinking about participating in these tournaments, even if they have any doubt about the requirements, should go ahead and register,” said Evans. “It could prevent a situation similar to what happened in the Big Rock.”

While Maryland does not require a license to fish on the coastal side of the state, it does require a saltwater fishing license in the Chesapeake. Next year, the state is expected to consolidate the permit to include all of coastal Maryland. In the meantime, there are certain permits and registrations required to fish off the coast of the resort that need to be adhered to in order to compete in many of the summer tournaments in the area.

First of all, NOAA requires boats and anglers fishing for tuna, dolphin, marlin and other game fish to hold a Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit. Licensed charter boats must hold an HMS permit, as well as the captain, mates and any anglers fishing aboard them. The boat’s HMS permit does not cover everyone on board and each individual on the boat, including the captain, mates and any anglers must have individual HMS permits.

Licensed charter boats, captains, mates and regular anglers hold HMS permits, which supercede registration on the National Saltwater Angler Registry, but it gets a little trickier with private boats. According to Motsko, private boats often make up at least 50 percent or more of the vessels competing in the WMO. While private boats themselves, along with the captain and the mates, routinely hold HMS permits, anglers, visitors and “weekend warriors” typically don’t, but if they are participating in one of the big tournaments such as the WMO, they will need to be get an HMS permit, or simply register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry, the latter which can be done the day of or even an hour before participating.

“It’s a little complicated, but the simplest thing to do is register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry if there is any question whatsoever,” said Motsko. “The HMS permits follow the individual and not the boats, so even if a private boat hold an HMS permit, all of the anglers on board are not covered.”



I cut and pasted this from the hms permit site.

Q: If I want to fish for Atlantic tunas, do I need a permit? Which species and what areas are covered?
A: Yes, owner/operators of state registered and Coast Guard Documented vessels fishing for Atlantic bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, albacore, or skipjack tuna in the Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, must obtain a permit. Only one category may be assigned to a vessel per year. The permit categories are as follows: General category (commercial tuna); Charter/Headboat (commercial tuna and recreational HMS); Angling category (recreational HMS); Harpoon category (commercial tuna); Trap category (commercial tuna); Purse Seine category (limited access); Longline (limited access).

Q: Does my permit need to be on board when I am fishing?
A: Yes, the owner or operator of a vessel of the United States must have the appropriate valid permit on board the vessel to fish for, take, retain, or possess Atlantic tunas, when engaged in commercial or recreational fishing. The vessel operator must make the permit available for inspection upon request by NMFS or a person authorized by NMFS.

Q: If a relative or friend is on my vessel and he/she has a permit, do I need a permit in this situation?
A: Yes, the Atlantic tunas permit is a vessel permit rather than an individual or "angler" permit. A permit is not transferable or assignable to another vessel or owner; it is valid only for the vessel to which it has been assigned.

[Deep C]

Something is bass akward... My take is that boat is covered by hms. New individual stuff is seperate. Theres a part not addressed that if you have a license in a state that does have license requirements you don't have to sign up for the federal freebie. All this crap has me wishing I just stayed in the bahamas.

[clt_capt]

HMS permit only covers the boat.

If you live in a state with a Saltwater Fishing License, you are not required to register for the Federal License. If you live in a state without a Saltwater Fishing License, you need the Federal Registration...




They can have my fishing rods when they pry my cold dead hands off...

[BarryTurano]

Firstly (if that is a word) you need to have a license issued buy the state in which you are fishing (or the tournament is held in) the FED freebee does not apply if the state has a license in place.

Secondly you need to have a federal HMS permit on board that is issued to the BOAT not the captain or the crew.

So yes they have it wrong. Unless Maryland does not have a state fishing license requirement. Then the FED freebee would apply. But the boat still needs the Highly Migratory Species Permit.

[Squidnation]

Firstly (if that is a word) you need to have a license issued buy the state in which you are fishing (or the tournament is held in) the FED freebee does not apply if the state has a license in place.

Secondly you need to have a federal HMS permit on board that is issued to the BOAT not the captain or the crew.

So yes they have it wrong. Unless Maryland does not have a state fishing license requirement. Then the FED freebee would apply. But the boat still needs the Highly Migratory Species Permit.

Coastal Maryland does not have a fishing license.

[Deep C]

If you have a license from a state that has licenses they will not issue you a freebie fed one as you are exempted by virtue of having that state one. I hold a Florida license. If I'm in a state that requires their own then I have to get one there too.

IF OCWMO is going to require that fed freebie of all aboard the carolina and florida boys may have an issue...

I have a meeting to attend then will call on it for more verification. Good point bringing this up though Bill. I need to make sure all my Jersey anglers have one at least...

[jazzrockskier]

Well, to add to the confusion, Feds are good at that, Most Va anglers must register with NOAA. If the catch Stripped Bass, Shad or River Herring in tidal waters. or fish in Federal waters more that 3 miles offshore. There are some exceptions and exemptions to this rule. go to www.countmyfish.noaa.gov. The permit is free and VA is attempting to change some things so we won't need the fed permit in the future.
Clyde

[scattered_grass]

there is no doubt,
that our government,
has turned an activity as harmless as fishing,
into a giant cluster-fuck

it's almost as if all of these rules, exemptions, and confusing fine print, are put in place simply to deter people from this form of recreation all together.

[Curmudgeon]

“It could prevent a situation similar to what happened in the Big Rock.”

No, it wouldn't! The rule violation, as I know it, is that the mate did not have a North Carolina Coastal Resources Fishing License (CRFL). The rules specified the entire crew must have one ...

[Bert Rodgers]

HMS permit only covers the boat.

If you live in a state with a Saltwater Fishing License, you are not required to register for the Federal License. If you live in a state without a Saltwater Fishing License, you need the Federal Registration...




They can have my fishing rods when they pry my cold dead hands off...

The HMS permit only covers the person named on the permit. As of now some states include the registration in their fishing lisence and some don't. (MD does not)

Bert