Maine's Legislature is debating the concept of a state saltwater fishing fee registry, commonly called a license to comply with federal law. If passed, the fee registry would cost Maine residents $5 per year and non residents $15. If not passed, saltwater anglers in Maine would be required to pay a fee to register with the federal government as much as $25 or more. That all depends what the feds say, and we all know what that implies, more money.
The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (SAM) endorses the concept of Maine running with the federal registry starting in 2011 with the extreme cost associated with it.
If you are concerned about the cost of your Maine saltwater fishing, the fee registry is obviously the way to go. But, that first needs to pass the legislature where there is pressure being exerted by SAM's executive director, George Smith to kill the bill which would send Mainers into a high cost federal registry and no money out of it for Maine. The state fee registry would insure money paid for saltwater fishing in Maine would stay in Maine and remain in the Maine Department of Marine Resources checkbook, not sent to the general funds of the federal government. Word has it that Smith is flexing the political muscle of SAM by threatening state legislators and senators with defeat at the ballot box if they vote for the bill establishing a fee based saltwater registry.
I urge everyone to call, write and email their legislators to vote in favor of passage of the bill establishing a Maine, fee based saltwater registry to avoid paying $25 or more for the federal registry. For Maine saltwater anglers, this is the most important action you can take for your sport today. Don't wait -go to:
http://www.maine.gov/portal/government/legislature.html
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