A bill proposed by Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, and Sen. James Beach, D-Camden that would reduce potential penalties associated with the new state fishing registry awaits Gov. Chris Christie’s approval.
“The purpose of creating the state registry was to prevent individuals from having to pay a $15 federal fee to fish,” Van Drew said in a press release Friday. “Imposing an initial fine of up to $3,000 for failing to register with this free database is completely unacceptable.”
The bill was approved by the Senate in June; the Assembly gave final approval on Thursday.
The state introduced the registry in May for recreational saltwalter anglers.
Under the registry — as structured by the state Department of Environmental Protection — anyone caught fishing without the proper documentation could face a fine between $300 and $3,000 for a first offense and between $500 and $5,000 for subsequent offenses.
Van Drew said the bill “scales back the penalities for noncompliance significantly.”
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...cle_0e4ffec6-284a-11e1-bbd3-0019bb2963f4.html
“The purpose of creating the state registry was to prevent individuals from having to pay a $15 federal fee to fish,” Van Drew said in a press release Friday. “Imposing an initial fine of up to $3,000 for failing to register with this free database is completely unacceptable.”
The bill was approved by the Senate in June; the Assembly gave final approval on Thursday.
The state introduced the registry in May for recreational saltwalter anglers.
Under the registry — as structured by the state Department of Environmental Protection — anyone caught fishing without the proper documentation could face a fine between $300 and $3,000 for a first offense and between $500 and $5,000 for subsequent offenses.
Van Drew said the bill “scales back the penalities for noncompliance significantly.”
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...cle_0e4ffec6-284a-11e1-bbd3-0019bb2963f4.html