License ban bill harmful to state
A bill has been filed in the state Senate that hopefully will die before it gets too far along in the legislative pipeline.
Senate Bill 744, filed by Stuart Republican Joe Negron, would abolish freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses for Floridians and visitors effective July 1.
“A great hassle and colossal annoyance for citizens of Florida to have to get government permission to fish,” Negron said. “Why does the government have to get involved in it?”
If this were the turn of the century instead of 2011, Negron might have a point.
Back then, there were way more fish swimming around in state waters than the number of Floridians or tourists trying to catch them. Fish were so abundant in Florida’s oceans, bays, rivers and lakes that many believed it was an unlimited resource. Fishermen had not yet conceived of LORAN-C or GPS or electric reels or VHF radios to help them locate and catch fish.
Size and bag limits and seasonal closures were imposed to help control the harvest. But fisheries managers did not have a clear idea of how many residents and visitors were out on the water pursuing the resource until the state imposed freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses.
Needed funds
Under state law, those license fees are used for fisheries research and management, law enforcement, habitat and stock enhancement, lake restoration and improving inner-city fishing opportunities, among other programs. I really don’t believe we could do without them.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, combined revenues from fishing license sales and federal aid (which is tied to state license sales) in fiscal year 2011-12 are estimated at more than $45 million.
If, as Sen. Negron proposes, the legislature does away with fishing licenses, the total revenue loss would be more than $32 million.
When I asked Negron how he proposes to keep fisheries management programs going, his answer was “general revenue.”
Said Negron: “We can find money in the budget to fund FWC without hassling Floridians.”
Hmm. I would like to know where – especially considering that Gov. Rick Scott’s budget proposal calls for slashing the state budget by $4.6 billion. Florida certainly can not count on the federal government. Under the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, Florida competes with other states for federal revenue generated by excise taxes on fishing tackle, fuel and electric motors. Those revenues are distributed based on paid fishing licenses. With no more fishing licenses, Florida would lose out on more than $9.2 million in federal aid.
Federal fees
Which brings up another problem that Negron probably didn’t consider when he filed this bill: Many Florida anglers would end up paying some kind of federal fishing license fee, even if state fishing licenses go away. Here’s why: The reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act imposes a requirement for anglers fishing in federal waters (more than three miles from shore in the Atlantic and more than nine miles from shore in the Gulf) to obtain an annual fishing license.
The law exempted states such as Florida that already licensed anglers. With no exemption, resident and nonresident anglers in Florida would have to pay $15 for a federal license/registration. And Florida would receive no revenue from those fees.
According to Negron, Florida’s fishing license requirements are analogous to those annoying red-light cameras that some in the legislature also are trying to abolish. But I submit they are not the same thing. Criminalizing motorists who don’t pause long enough at intersections in order to help fill city coffers is questionable. But requiring a user group to help pay for managing and protecting a precious, shared resource is valid public policy.
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