Decoding the New York Saltwater Fishing License: A Reality Check

Hello everyone, Welcome to the New York Fishing Podcast. My name is George Skaka. This is a special on the New York Saltwater Fishing License which will be in effect as of next year. I got a hold of a preliminary copy of what they're going to be surveying and asking folks. You know they're going to go through the process of listening to everyone's opinion. Now I've been on this road I'm around this thing for a very, very long time. We did have a license, which is pointed out in this paperwork which I have. You know this. Again, this is very early, but you're going to hear all these things coming out very, very soon. Remember, you heard it first here. I'm telling you you have a license coming. So as I look through the first draft of what's being circulated, then I'm not supposed to have. Actually, I don't think They mention improved opportunities for New York recreational fishing community. They improve marine fisheries and management and enforcement. They improve outreach, education and research and they provide improved fiscal resources. So, out of the gate, I want to be on. I just want to be upfront. I am not an ante, Like I'm not an ante anything until I find out that it's just, you know, going through the motions and kind of a kind of a, the decisions already been made and the money has already been spent. And I'm afraid that that's where we are today, only because, well, part of the reason is the respect or the non-respect we got We received regarding the Stripe Asslot Limit. I mean, it was just boom. Yes, Groot, Sorry. Oh, Maine's doing it, Oh, everyone's doing it, But Jersey, we must do it now. So now here we are. They claim that there are only two states on the coast without a license. I've yet to confirm that. Then again, this is early. So you know what, I'm not even going to pick it apart like that at all, But I do want to point out some facts. So they start out with saltwater fishing facts and how, like every state except for Jersey and New York have a license and they range from $7 to $150 a year to fish, And that they claim in this You know early page that all states with a fee-based license are enjoying expanded recreational fishing opportunities and improved management. I'm sorry, Show me one. I have a place in Florida. Everybody thinks, whoa, Florida is so great, They're paying God knows what probably top end for that fishing license. Actually, I do know the number. Well, I forget what it is what I pay, But the truth is they have worse access than we do. These four guys go out for grouper and when they get there they find out they can only keep one or two. I know I've been on a charter Six people. The charter itself costs almost $3,000 for the day And we run out looking for grouper You get two fishermen. So I'm just not sure how well they're doing. Because of the license, First of all. I don't think they're doing that great. I mean they call there many seasons They could be out fishing and boom, it's over. Redfish, red snapper, snook, whatever it is. They close it whenever they want. So that's just one state. Look at California. God knows what that costs. I fished there one time and I think for one day it was $20. And it took about a half hour for the guy to explain the fishing regulations. I really didn't understand them. If you caught something on Monday and Tuesday, you weren't allowed to keep it on Wednesday. It was the craziest thing. So please just tell me one state, just one one that is benefiting from a license. They're not Period. But again, i don't want to be an auntie, but at the same time I want to call it out for what it is. That simply isn't true. Show me one state and then I'll feel differently. So now, as we look down at the other figures that they have on this chart the numbers all over the place When we had a license I don't know we made somewhere around $3 million. That's what they claim. The total registry holders in this state is under half a million. So when they tell us we have millions of anglers killing millions of fish, how is that possible? The registry says we have 500,000. And what do you think that number is going to go to when you charge? Going to go way down. And as I look through this doc, they admit to it. You know it starts slow and it builds and it builds, but it's still. They're talking about $3 million. Okay, so now how should we spend the new revenues? Now this is the part that kills me. So artificial reefs? Okay, great, we all want artificial reefs. I personally do not think artificial reefs can do anything to enhance the marine fisheries that we have in all waters. It's just going to become more spots. That's just covered with a million boats and they're going to fish all the fish out of them. That's how it works. Go to the Smithtown Reef. Why don't you go there? We hear a lot about it. I'd never seen more than two boats on a thing and I fish it all the time. So, yes, okay, reefs, i'm not gonna argue with it. Yes, does it make it easier for people that can't catch fish without a place that's made to draw the fish in, cause I don't believe that artificial reefs are good for fish. I don't know who could. I mean, all it does is attract them. It's like a giant chump pod. It really is. I'm not saying I don't want them, but that's what they are. And to say that that's gonna help our fishery is bullshit. It just is. It's outright BS. Now here's number two. This is the killer increased enforcement. Now, for the record, i am a pro enforcement person. If you check my LinkedIn file, you'll find that I have a foundation for New York City firefighters for over 30 years. I am pro, pro, lock them up. But as we look into this enforcement thing which they're forcing not forcing, which they're recommending we pay for, here's my feeling. You're not to agree. I just want you to know. This is where I'm coming from. I'll get into the numbers in a minute about how many we have and what type of enforcement we have and what they're looking for. But before I get that, i just want to say this Why should the recreational angler pay for enforcement of our marine fisheries? Are they only enforcing recreational anglers Or are they enforcing commercial anglers also commercial fishermen or commercial fisheries? Or is it just wrecks? Or should we pay to take care of their problem because they're the problem? Look, i don't mean they're the problem, but a poacher is not a recreational fisherman and we all know it. He's a poacher. He's selling fish illegally. Now you want to increase this enforcement. So what? So I could be boarded more, so I could be harassed while I'm out on the water trying to enjoy a nice day's fishing? Yeah, i know there's people saying, oh, but you got this, you got that. Look at the big picture, Just look at it. We all know fishermen, all of us. And to think that they're the problem when our fishing today and our fisheries today, i don't buy it. I don't buy it. That is one thing that I do not believe recreational anglers should pay for That should be in the budget, just like the police department budget, state police department budgets. It should be in the state budget. It should not have anything to do with anglers that are fishing. I'm sorry, i do not buy it, so let's keep going. So yes, they're going to. I love the idea of the fishing pier. I gotta tell you, i often wonder why New York State does not have a pier. I drive from New York to Florida and back every year. Every state has two, three, four pieres fishing pier. They're actually showing their anglers there that they have fish And we have the best fishery with the least access. So part of this money was going to go to access. I could support that Absolutely. Outreach education kind of broad. For me, that's another thing on the list. Improved management data broad again. But again I know that you know, or I feel that this is all in the interest of having a better fishery. So I want to talk reefs again. So I don't want to talk reefs. But here we go Four new reefs, 16 total $500,000 budget. So that's a couple of million dollars on reefs. Then we go. Now the license is bringing in three million a year. This is what they're saying. You know we had a license once it got rescinded and whatever. But they're saying we're gonna bring in three million dollars a year And then, like I don't again. There's like so many things in here. You know what I want to get to this point. So you have. According to the state, they are covering 2700 miles of coastline in the Marine and Coastal District, plus three miles and beyond into the ocean, plus dozens of bays, coves, rivers, tidal straits, etc. Then they go on to say that they have 10 officers covering 2700 miles of coastline, plus all that other stuff we just talked about. Hold on one second, because I really don't know the answer and we're gonna let my digital friend here answer. Alexa, what is the length of the southern border of the United States?

According to an Alexa answers contributor, the southern border of the United States is shared with Mexico and is approximately 1,933 miles long. It begins out to the west at the Pacific Ocean and continues to the southern tip of Texas where it terminates at the Gulf of Mexico.

Okay. So there you have it. It's under 2,000 miles, so we're talking about an area bigger than the southern border. Larger than the southern border that's covered by 10 officers. So now they want you to pay for the rest of them, and I mean, if they have 10. And again, please, i'm pro enforcement, but I'm just trying to be like something that we never are when it comes to fisheries management and just matter of fact, that's what I'm trying to do right now And again, everything I tell you is a fact. I'm reading it directly off the document. I'm sure it's gonna change after this, but it literally says they have 10 offices covering 2,700 miles, which are and when you add everything else in, it's probably double that. And that is the border is 50% less mileage that we're covering. So they want us now they're gonna want us to pay for more enforcement. Don't fall for it. I want that poacher locked up, just like the next guy. I want every single illegal fisherman locked up, just like the next guy. But if you got 10 offices and what can they do? 10 offices? it's, it's 50% longer than the border of the United States, think about it. So now they want us to pay. I don't even know for how many, but I oppose that piece of it. Everything else not everything else, but some of the things I can go with I'd love to say I'd love to be a total anti, because we all know the money is just gonna get eaten up, just like everything else. But I can't be because I'm a realist and I know we're getting one. It's happening and if you had any doubt, just look at what they just do with us with the striped bass. So when they talk about enforcement, please don't think about that guy that's catching bass and putting him in the trunk of his car. Is that bad? Yes, it is, but is it worth two million dollars a year? Because, yes, that's what I believe, that's what it says. I'm going down here and reading as we go. They're talking about outreach and how they're gonna talk us into it, basically, and then they talk about the spending plan. So let's talk about this for a minute. So they claim that there's gonna be three million dollars annually brought in. So in 2024 and 2025, they're gonna take a half a million and they're gonna put that towards artificial reefs. Then they're gonna take a million in 2024 and two million in 2025 to add five new officers. That's three million dollars. So fund five new officers. So the odds of someone getting caught poaching are gonna go from like I don't know I was looking at it it's like 0.001% to 0.00, point. I don't know. It's like a long number, it means nothing. It's basically, in my opinion, a waste of money, sadly. I'd like to see that money go towards cleaning up all ghost pots that we have out in the middle of the Long Island Sound, which studies have shown that we could increase the population of the overall biomass efficient Long Island Sound by two to 300%? No, let's hire another five officers so they could come after us like, where the problem? where not the problem. So now, the next year, this is so they're gonna spend a couple million. Then they got a million dollars for shore access. I'm not sure what that's gonna do, but that's great. I love the ocean fishing pier. I said that before. I don't know why we don't have one. It's kind of ridiculous, actually, when I think about it. It's gotta be a money-making venture. But you know, the bottom line is this it's the same old thing. You gotta look at it. You have to look at what they're trying to do, which is fine. We're gonna get the license. Everybody else has one. I guess we should have one. I really don't agree with that, but we're gonna have one. We are New York, after all, and the people that are deciding it, many of them I know. Again, some of you people may not know me, but I've been around a very, very long time. I've seen it all. I've done it all. I've been to every meeting. I've been to Albany, i've passed bills. I've done a lot. And when I look at the advisory group that is in charge of this thing, i mean it's fair. There's so many people there that I know almost every single one of them. In fact I do know well, I don't know this nature conservancy Carl Guy. I never met him, but everyone else I know and I feel that they're open to discussion. But I also feel that they're easily not easily persuaded. But I feel some of them already have their decisions made And I'm not gonna name everyone, but it's very easy to find. They're on the Marine Resource Advisory Council. They're all members. You can look them up easily online. If you have something to say, if you have an opinion, you gotta let them know. So here you go. You heard it first here. I understand it's gonna be breaking in all the magazines and all over the place next week, but you heard it from me the day Hockel took over, so I appreciate all the support that I've been getting. I'm gonna stand top. It is Again, i'm not an anti, i know what's happening. I just feel like we need to get something out of this and please do not fall for this enforcement thing. Don't fall for it, because what they do is they point out, they say recreation Anglers feel like there's not enough enforcement. There isn't and there can't be. So just like let's let that piece go And let's think about what we can do to make things better in the overall marine environment and in our overall ability to catch fish. Well, i'll be back as soon as I know what's new, what's changed, because I'm sure this is gonna be a moving target. But again, you heard it first here The license is in full motion and you will have one in 2024.