THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 12, 1997 TAG: 9701120065
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 94 lines
Fishermen angling in North Carolina's saltwaters will have to buy licenses under a plan a legislative committee is considering this week.
But charter boat captains and pier owners say their patrons should not have to purchase permits to cast lines.
So when legislators gather in Raleigh Tuesday to consider proposed changes to the state's fishing laws, dozens of captains and pier owners will try to convince the elected officials to deep-six the saltwater-sportsfishing license plan.
``We're going to do all we can to defeat it,'' Outer Banks Pier owner Garry Oliver said Friday.
``Saltwater fishing is one of the last free things we've got in this state - besides breathing air,'' he said.
The saltwater-fishing license is one of 127 recommendations that the General Assembly's Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture will consider.
Members of North Carolina's Moratorium Steering Committee have spent two years trying to revamp saltwater fishing laws in an effort to protect and preserve the state's fisheries. They say a recreational license will provide revenue for research and programs to improve fish stocks, and will help track the number of anglers. On Tuesday, the legislative commission will vote on the fisheries proposals and try to finalize a package to present to the General Assembly.
``We've been discussing this long enough,'' Rep. Zeno Edwards, a member of the legislative committee, said from his Washington, N.C., home Friday. ``We ought to be able to vote by now.''
Other recommendations the elected officials will address include suggestions for overhauling commercial-fishing licenses, restructuring the state Marine Fisheries Commission and the Division of Marine Fisheries, and restoring fisheries habitats.
The legislative commission can accept, reject or revise the steering committee's recommendations. If the General Assembly approves the suggestions, new rules could go into effect as early as this summer.
Saltwater-sportsfishing licenses are slated to cost $5 a week or $15 a year - and be required for everyone over 16 who fishes in North Carolina's ocean or sounds. The state already requires freshwater-fishing licenses. Originally, the Moratorium Steering Committee plan included a blanket fishing license that would exclude charter boat and pier patrons. Captains and pier owners could purchase a single blanket license so that their customers did not have to buy individual ones.
But last week, the Moratorium Steering Committee removed the blanket license provision from its proposal. Some said such an exemption would unfairly advantage pier owners and charter boat captains. By requiring licenses for all saltwater sportsfishermen, state officials estimated that revenue would increase by more than $1.5 million.
``Having us issue licenses to everyone in our parties would create a logistical nightmare if we had to write out 150 or 200 licenses each morning. We're not in favor of any type of license,'' said Duke Spencer, spokesperson for the Oregon Inlet charter boat captains.
``There would be a tremendous hardship and undue burden on the tourists, charter boat and pier owners if that passes,'' he said.
Hatteras charter boat captains agreed. They sent a letter to the legislative committee opposing the saltwater-sportsfishing license plan. ``I personally think North Carolina would be better served to promote their `no fee' saltwater fishing and set up a voluntary conservation fund where 100 percent of contributions are used . . . for research and restoration of the fisheries,'' wrote Rom A. Whittaker, vice president of the Hatteras Charterboat Association.
Edwards said the estimated $5 million generated by saltwater fishing license sales probably would have to go to fund the changes recommended by the Moratorium Steering Committee - not just to improve the state's fisheries.
``I'm not optimistic about a trust fund being created,'' said the legislator. ``The program will be too expensive not to use the revenue to run it.''
Edwards predicted that many of the plans to overhaul North Carolina's fisheries ``will be watered down some more'' before they are presented to the General Assembly Jan. 29. ILLUSTRATION: THE MEETING
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood
and Aquaculture will hear public comments about suggestions to
overhaul North Carolina's commercial and recreational fishing laws.
The meeting will be held in Room 643 of the Legislative Office
Building in Raleigh, at Lane and Salisbury streets. It is open to
everyone.
THE PROPOSALS
Among the recommendations being considered is a plan to require
saltwater sportsfishing licenses. Other changes include capping the
number of commercial fishing licenses sold and restructuring the
group that makes fishing laws.
MORE INFO
For more information about efforts to change the state's fishing
rules, call Mike Street at the North Carolina Division of Marine
Fisheries, (800) 682-2632 or (919) 726-7021.