Quote:
Originally Posted by Shore Thing
To each his own but I think fishery rules and regs should be skewed toward the commercial fishermen. They are doing it to make a living. Rec fishermen should be in it for the fun. Plus commercial fishermen pay exponential more in license and fees. Fees being the cost to obtain the license. Recreational fishermen need to make some concessions to help the fishery. I feel the same way about crabs.
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I am someone who believes strongly in individual freedoms. We need to protect the access and opportunity to do for oneself. People shouldnt have to buy their fish if they are willing and able to fish themselves. Open access to the public resource should be provided for ahead of any special limited entry. (google: public trust doctrine)
This is the model for most public state resources too. Fish such as redfish, rockfish (in nearly half the Atlantic States), snook, etc. are all allocated to benefit individual access first. It is also how other resources such as wild game like deer, goose, etc. are all managed as well.
As far as sport fishing being merely for ones pleasure. I suggest you ask Bill if he builds boats for his mere pleasure, ask Keith if he runs AllTackle for his mere pleasure, or Billy at ShoreTackle, ask Jim at BOE who he sells the bulk of his electronics too and if he does it for pleasure, ask the owners of many marine businesses (such as marinas boat dealers, guides, charters etc.) in this state if they operate out of mere pleasure. Do you insure recreational fishing boats for your mere pleasure? Our state sport fishery is driven by striped bass. I know people arent buying 100k 27 Judge's to fish for white perch, catfish and croaker.
You also bring up fees.. resource management is mostly paid for on the backs of sportsmen due to the shear numbers of people participating. Go to the DNR site and see where the money is generated. The sport fishing industry drives far greater tax revenue. State sales tax (fuel, gear, boats, trucks, trailers, etc.), license and fees, 10% federal excise tax on all our gear (wallop breaux),... Heck, DNR is desperate to raise the numbers of recreational license sales so that they qualify for more Wallop Breaux money from the feds- Like $2 mil more) Most commercially harvested rockfish are going out state and we never see sales tax. Cost of gear is written off against profits and there are far fewer of them due to limited entry.
Given your philosophy, maybe I should run with it and advocate we go to limited entry on the sportsmen side and only let those with limited professional guides licenses to fish the trophy season
If you want to keep a fish during the trophy season you need to fish with licensed charter. After all charters are just trying to make a living
You just have all the money wrapped in your boat merely for pleasure so you dont count (at least as much).
