Recreational Marine Fishing Licenses Go on Sale

• by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

ALBANY, NY (09/25/2009)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced that beginning Friday, Sept. 25, recreational marine fishing licenses will be available for sale.

Recreational marine fishing licenses can be purchased via the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6101.html, ordered by mail or telephone at 1-86-NY-DECALS (1-866-933-2257) or by visiting any one of DEC's 1,500 license sales outlets statewide.

"New York's coastal waters provide excellent angling opportunities offer anglers a wide variety of species to target, from scup and sea bass to bluefish and striped bass," Commissioner Grannis said. "Realizing that the federal government was going to soon require marine fishing licenses if there were no state requirement in place, New York elected to implement this new license in order to keep the fees here to help fund state conservation programs. While we know this is a big change for the coastal fishing community, this was the best available option for New York. We appreciate the understanding of marine anglers."

Anglers purchasing their license at one of DEC's 1,500 license sales outlets will receive their license and can go fishing immediately. Anglers purchasing their license via the internet will receive a "smart number" and confirming e-mail and anglers purchasing a license via telephone will receive their customer ID number so they can begin fishing immediately and don't have to wait to receive their license in the mail.

Beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, persons 16 years of age and older need to acquire a recreational marine fishing license if they are fishing in the Marine and Coastal District or fishing any water (such as the Hudson River, Delaware River, or Mohawk River and their tributaries) where the angler is fishing for "migratory fish from the sea" (such as striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, blueback herring, alewife). The Marine and Coastal District includes all the waters of the Atlantic Ocean within three nautical miles from the coast and all other tidal waters within the state, including the Hudson River up to the Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge.

The cost for 1-day, 7-day and annual resident licenses are $4, $8, and $10, respectively. The cost for 1-day, 7-day and annual non-resident licenses are $5, $10, and $15, respectively. The cost of a lifetime recreational marine fishing license is $150 and the cost of a lifetime combination fishing and recreational marine fishing license is $450.

All revenues generated from sales of annual, 7-day, and 1-day resident and non-resident recreational marine licenses will be deposited into the Marine Account. The Marine Account is a special sub-account of the Conservation Fund, and, in accordance with State Finance Law, monies in this account shall be available to the DEC specifically for the care, management, protection and enlargement of marine fish and shellfish resources. All revenues generated from the sales of lifetime recreational marine fishing licenses and lifetime combination fishing and recreational fishing licenses will be deposited into the Fish and Game Trust Account as per State Finance Law. Monies in the fish and game trust account are invested by the State Comptroller and the earned income is transferred into the Conservation Fund to be used for intended purposes.

Commissioner Grannis also encouraged all outdoor enthusiasts to consider purchasing a Habitat/Access Stamp, an optional stamp that helps support the DEC's efforts to conserve habitat and increase public access for fish and wildlife-related recreation. This year's stamp features a drawing of a pair of playful red fox. Buying a $5 stamp is a way to help conserve New York's fabulous wildlife heritage.

More information about purchasing a Habitat Stamp is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/329.html

Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/permits/54950.html and a marine fishing guide is also available on the website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/marinelicense2009.pdf .