FishingRomantis

Thursday, September 20, 2007

By JEFF DUTE

Outdoors Editor

A new wrinkle in Alabama's saltwater fishing license regulations will bring the state in line with other Gulf states and provide additional revenue for marine resource management.

Alabama Marine Resources director Vernon Minton said when the Alabama legislature approved across-the-board hunting and fishing licenses fee increases, including raising the recreational saltwater license from $16 to $24, it also changed that license from a "take or attempt to take" license to a "possession" license.

Prior to the new regulation, Minton said it was possible for a non-resident to legally launch at an Alabama port, pass outside Alabama state waters, take or attempt to take fish on reefs built with Alabama money and return to an Alabama port without ever having to buy an Alabama saltwater license.

"Now, if they possess fish on the boat in Alabama waters, they better have an Alabama saltwater license," Minton said.

Minton said Alabama went with a take or attempt-to-take approach to its saltwater license when it was implemented in 1992 because many people were opposed to any type of saltwater license.

"Fifteen years ago when we started the license a lot of people thought of the Gulf like it was open range. They had a don't-fence-me-in, don't-make-me-buy-a-license-to-fish-the-Gulf attitude, so we had to make some concessions," Minton said. "I would hope by now people would have come to understand that we are using these funds to the resources' benefit and to their benefit."

Minton said the license applies to all fish possessed in Alabama waters no matter what method the fisherman used to take them into possession be it cast net, gig or crab trap.

"However they catch them, to take them into possession, they have to have a license," Minton said.

Minton said the additional license fees will help the Marine Resources Division, which gets no funding from the general fund, and increase its share of federal Sportfish Restoration Act money. Those funds are allotted based solely on the number of fishing licenses sold annually in each state.

"All of the funds from the saltwater license go directly to Marine Resources. It does not go to the general fund," he said.

Minton said the new regulation would not affect people who have already bought a lifetime saltwater fishing license. Also, kids 16 and under and people 65 or older do not have to buy a saltwater license.

Other changes to the recreational saltwater license fee schedule include an increase from $6 to $9 for the seven-day trip license. Minton said that license is now good for 168 consecutive hours and no longer will be valid simply over seven days.

He said that means if someone buys a seven-day trip license at noon on a Friday, it will be valid until noon the following Thursday only.

A non-resident saltwater license increased from $31 to $44 and a non-resident seven-day trip license went from $11 to $25.

Minton said the non-resident fees were minimums, based on what other states charged Alabama residents.

"There is a catch to the non-resident fees," Minton said. "They'll pay these minimums unless Alabama residents are charged more in another state. If say, it costs an Alabama resident $90 for a seven-day trip license in Louisiana, well that's what it will cost a Louisiana resident to fish here."

Minton said the new law will automatically allow the state to lower its fees if a similar reduction in non-resident fees is approved in another state.