Avoid bureaucracy with saltwater fishing
The federal government says it wants to better monitor the nation's saltwater fishing areas. Seems like a good way to address concerns such as overfishing.
But in the process, the government wants to create a registry for recreational fishermen.
Fishermen would be required to register every year, either with the state or a federal agency, and carry a certificate when fishing. Officials would create a federal bureaucracy concerned with how many bluefish Uncle Ralph brought in off Long Island Sound when there are much bigger issues relating to aquatic life, such as pollution and commercial fishing, that deserve the attention.
Most states already have a license program for saltwater fishing, though Connecticut, along with every other East Coast state from New Jersey to Maine, does not. It would be more appropriate for state officials closer to the issue to determine whether monitoring is needed and figure out a way to do so.
After hearing hundreds of complaints, federal officials have put a 12-month moratorium on the registry requirement. We hope they use that time to rethink the matter.
The federal government says it wants to better monitor the nation's saltwater fishing areas. Seems like a good way to address concerns such as overfishing.
But in the process, the government wants to create a registry for recreational fishermen.
Fishermen would be required to register every year, either with the state or a federal agency, and carry a certificate when fishing. Officials would create a federal bureaucracy concerned with how many bluefish Uncle Ralph brought in off Long Island Sound when there are much bigger issues relating to aquatic life, such as pollution and commercial fishing, that deserve the attention.
Most states already have a license program for saltwater fishing, though Connecticut, along with every other East Coast state from New Jersey to Maine, does not. It would be more appropriate for state officials closer to the issue to determine whether monitoring is needed and figure out a way to do so.
After hearing hundreds of complaints, federal officials have put a 12-month moratorium on the registry requirement. We hope they use that time to rethink the matter.