Recreational Fishing Alliance (NJ)
May 24, 2011
The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, Chaired by District 1 Assemblyman Nelson Albano, unanimously passed out of Committee yesterday a bill (A4063) which would provide a revised penalty schedule for failure to comply with New Jersey’s saltwater registry regulations. As presently implemented, the fine schedule calls for a first offense penalty in a range of $300 to $3,000, with subsequent offenses subject to fines of up to $5,000.
A4063 would revise the penalties for those failing to comply from a warning up to a $20 fine. It also allows for reciprocity with other states registry programs.
“District 1 legislators are once again demonstrating their strong support of New Jersey’s recreational fishermen,” said Capt. Adam Nowalsky, chairman of the Recreational Fishing Alliance’s New Jersey chapter (RFA-NJ). “We praise the DEP for the ease of registering with the new system, and we look forward to a revision of the current fine structure,” he added.
In testifying in favor of the bill, Nowalsky stated that it was important that the fine structure be addressed as quickly as possible as the state moves into the prime tourism season in the state. “If one angler is deterred from coming to New Jersey by the threat of a significant fine for not being registered, that is lost revenue the state cannot afford,” said Nowalsky.
RFA and RFA-NJ were the only recreational fishing groups on hand to testify on behalf of the bill and wanted to thank all the members of the Committee for unanimously supporting the bill. Next up will be a hearing of S2880, the companion Senate bill sponsored by Jeff Van Drew and James Beach, to be heard by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
Saltwater anglers fishing in New Jersey coastal waters who’ve not already registered to fish in marine waters are encouraged to visit www.saltwaterregistry.nj.gov today.
To learn more about the RFA-NJ chapter, visit www.joinrfanj.org.