Fishing in Federal Waters

DeepXplor

Explorer
Nov 5, 2008
341
19
Jersey Shore
Saltwater anglers still have an opportunity to fish in 2011 without paying $15 to sign up for the federal saltwater fishing registry — by signing up online before Jan. 1, 2011. The registration is good "for the next 365 days if you get online and sign up right now," said Jim Donofrio of the Recreational Fishing Alliance.
Anglers can visit the federal registry website at www.countmyfish.noaa.gov to check the rules and register, Donofrio said.
NOAA will start charging anglers a $15 administrative fee come Jan. 1. Registration is required for people age 16 and older fishing in federal waters beyond three miles off shore or fishing for — and even just catching — certain regulated species like striped bass. There are certain exceptions, including for anglers who fish exclusively on licensed party and charter boats.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
I'm sorry to be so lazy as to not look this up myself but, hey, what are friends for? the question is...is a license required for fishing estuariers (like the lower mullica)? And if the answer is Yes, can a fresh water license cover it?

Jeff
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,953
3,107
Pestletown, N.J.
I'm sorry to be so lazy as to not look this up myself but, hey, what are friends for? the question is...is a license required for fishing estuariers (like the lower mullica)? And if the answer is Yes, can a fresh water license cover it?

Jeff

Jeff,
For regulatory purposes the salt line in the Mullica has always been Crowley's. This is the point, above which, a freshwater license is required. It used to determine where you could use a cast net for herring too.
Conversely, one would assume that below Crowley's, a saltwater registry will be required.
On the Wading the salt line is Chip's Folly.

Here is the breakdown in the regs for the salt lines. See page 8 of 8

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2011/digfsh11-regs.pdf

Scott
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
Jeff,
For regulatory purposes the salt line in the Mullica has always been Crowley's. This is the point, above which, a freshwater license is required. It used to determine where you could use a cast net for herring too.
Conversely, one would assume that below Crowley's, a saltwater registry will be required.
On the Wading the salt line is Chip's Folly.

Here is the breakdown in the regs for the salt lines. See page 8 of 8

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2011/digfsh11-regs.pdf

Scott

Thanks Scott!!
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,206
4,302
Pines; Bamber area
Jeff,
For regulatory purposes the salt line in the Mullica has always been Crowley's. This is the point, above which, a freshwater license is required. It used to determine where you could use a cast net for herring too.
Conversely, one would assume that below Crowley's, a saltwater registry will be required.
On the Wading the salt line is Chip's Folly.

Here is the breakdown in the regs for the salt lines. See page 8 of 8

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2011/digfsh11-regs.pdf

Scott

Thanks Scott. I always thought that freshwater fishing on the Oswego ended at the little spillway at Harrisville. The one on the south side of 679.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,953
3,107
Pestletown, N.J.
I maintain a Highly Migratory Species permit for my boat that exempts just me from the federal registry but at a cost of $20.00 per year.
I did the federal registry last year for my me, my wife and sons in 2010 and this year we registered prior to 12-31-10 which exempted us from the $15.00 fee for 2011,in case NJ didn't do anything.
I got it for me because I don't usuallly carry my HMS permit around in my pocket and I do surf fish and fish on other people's boats a lot.
I have never been asked for my registry card while fishing in 2010 but I have been boarded and asked for proof of my HMS permit before.

My guess I that there is still going to be a fee somewhere down the road because someone is going to have to administer the registry at the state level.
As of yet, management costs and funding sources for those costs have not been determined.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,555
2,469
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
We dont have to pay. At least one thing I like from the Gov.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/2011/11_0021.htm

I very seldom fish and then usually freshwater pickerel fishing but it does irritate me to have to pay the government to take fish that they don't own and did nothing to stock.It just makes me want to tell em where they can put their tea so to speak.I'm glad you posted this.I can feel my blood pressure subsiding now.Maybe in two more years it'll have reason to go back down to normal but I doubt it.
Al
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
it does irritate me to have to pay the government to take fish that they don't own and did nothing to stock.It just makes me want to tell em where they can put their tea so to speak.Al

Could not agree more. A freshwater license and the trout stamp should only be required for waters that are stocked or managed by the Division. I've heard tell that some consider the license a tax and deduct it on their tax returns :D
 

PINEY MIKE

Explorer
Jan 30, 2009
707
25
Bamber Lake
46er,
You still fish the Ausable? Out of state NY licenses are through the roof. It stinks paying all that money along with a trout stamp, especially if you practice catch and release and dont keep anything.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,555
2,469
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
Could not agree more. A freshwater license and the trout stamp should only be required for waters that are stocked or managed by the Division. I've heard tell that some consider the license a tax and deduct it on their tax returns :D

If I see a coastal stocking program that would validate paying for a saltwater license then ok I'd pay same way you pay for a hunting license to finance the management of deer herds that would probably disappear with over hunting as they once did or would go crazy wuth no hunting or predators as has also happened in certain areas.I don't see how we can effectively manage the oceans fish population other then banning fishing for fish populations that need to recover.I doubt any of our efforts at breeding fish for the ocean woul really help much the ocean is so big and the enforcement of such bans would be almost unenforceable too except in coastal areas which might be enough since the open ocean is generally very fish rich compared to the coasts anyway.
Al
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
For fishing in freshwater, you also need a license to fish privately owned water that the state has no control over. So if'n you had a parcel of land with a pond, and stocked it yourself, you'd still need a license to fish there, unless you called it a fishing preserve and charged yourself for the pleasure. This never made sense to me, except to be yet another form of taxation by the state. Does not apply to farmers.
 
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