New York’s saltwater fishing license fee will be permanently eliminated if a provision passed by the State Senate Sunday is approved by the Assembly this week.
The fee, adopted by the State Legislature in 2009, is currently inactive thanks to a three-year moratorium put in place last year.
“For many in our region, fishing is a way of life,” State Senator Ken LaValle (R- Port Jefferson) said in a statement.
“Mandating a license placed a burden on individuals and families who have fished our local waters for generations. I voted against the license law and fee when it was part of the 2009 budget and I’m happy to see the demise of what was essentially a hidden tax,” he said.
Wayne Rambo, president of the East End Surf Fishing Club, said Tuesday the purpose of the fee was never clear to some local fishermen.
“We often wondered what they were trying to accomplish with the license fee,” Rambo said. “Did they want more money or did they just want a registry of fishermen? If they were going to take the money and use it to actively patrol the beaches and make sure people are fishing with a license that would be one thing, but they never do enforce it.”
Regardless of reason, Rambo said the elimination of a saltwater fishing license fee is “obviously a terrific thing.”
“We’re glad,” he said.
Southampton fisherman and former president of the club, Ken Densieski, said he’s been lucky enough to not have to deal with the fees.
“Before we were a country, the King of England granted the people here ‘unfettered access to fishing and hunting,’ and because we invoked our ‘Dongan Patent’ rights, we haven’t had to pay any fees in Southampton Town.”
Despite not having to personally pay the fee, Densieski said it is part of the reason he left his position with the East End Surf Fishing Club.
“I got tired of fighting these uphill battles,” he said. “Now that I’m 52 years old, I just want to enjoy my fishing and watch the little kids fish. I don’t even need to catch anything as long as I can watch the little kids catch them.”
The New York State Assembly will next meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to discuss budget items, according to a spokesman for Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor.)
RiverheadLOCAL file photo by Peter Blasl
{loadposition tab1}
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
