By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer, 609-463-6711
Published: Saturday, March 14, 2009, The Press of Atlantic City

UPPER TOWNSHIP — Anglers should fight a saltwater fishing license because the money raised will not be used to help recreational fishing.

That was the gist of a speech Saturday afternoon by Executive Director Jim Donofrio of the Galloway Township-based Recreational Fishing Alliance or RFA.

Donofrio, speaking to the Strathmere Fishing & Environmental Club at its annual legislative meeting here at the Strathmere Firehouse, promoted a state lottery once a month to raise money for marine conservation and possibly a special license plate that would feature a striped bass to raise money.

Donofrio warned the group that a plan to create a state saltwater fishing license to gather more fishery data is really just way to raise funds. Donofrio said better data is needed but it can be gathered at no cost to the anglers.

“States are using it as a cash-grab because all their budgets are going down the tube,” said Donofrio, noting a lottery would at least be “a tax for the willing.”

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While some fishermen have supported a license with revenues going to a dedicated fund for the sport, Donofrio warned the government can’t be trusted.

“There’s no such thing as a dedicated fund. They rob them all the time. They’re raided every day,” Donofrio said.

He noted boat registration fees went up, with the money dedicated to boat ramps and other things to help the sport, but $1 million was just raided from the fund for the state budget. Donofrio said anglers already pay a 10 percent tax on fishing tackle and 16 percent on motor boat fuel.

“There is no way we should pay for a license,” Donofrio said.

The federal government is behind a proposal to create a registry of saltwater anglers, which will be used to get better data. The federal program would charge anglers a $30 annual fee unless the state has its own program. The registry is supposed to be in place by next year.

Donofrio urged the anglers to support legislation sponsored by three state lawmakers, Sen. Jeff Van Drew, Assemblyman Nelson Albano and Assemblyman Matt Milam, all D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic. Their bill would establish a free registry with anglers logging information on a Web site.

“For God’s sake, you should be able to throw your line in the water and not be charged. Let’s establish a Web site where fishermen can log on and put the data in,” Van Drew said.

Van Drew agreed with Donofrio about dedicated funds. He noted a $25 million per year state fund using a realty transfer tax for beach work is also a dedicated fund, but it is being raided this year to help balance the state budget.

“It’s been said the dollars for a saltwater fishing license would only be used for fishing purposes. Quite frankly, I just don’t believe it,” Van Drew said.

Donofrio said better fishing data is needed since the system now uses cold-calling from phone books and occasionally interviewing anglers at the docks. The federal government wants to register all saltwater fishermen and get steady data on what they catch.

Club President Randy Roash said the club has 186 members. The forum drew about 75 people. Van Drew, Milam and Tony Bogan of the group Save the Summer Flounder Fishery also spoke.