The New Jersey Assembly today voted today (65-8-3) on a slight technical amendment in Assembly Bill 823 (A823), officially placing New Jersey's free saltwater registration onto the Governor's desk for his final signature.  "A823 needed a simple procedural vote in order to bring it into perfect alignment with its Senate companion bill, S1122," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). 

"There's been a lot of debate and considerable confusion within the community, but our coastal anglers should take comfort in knowing that this procedural vote in the Assembly will ensure that longstanding Fish & Game Code specifications are kept intact, to the benefit of coastal fishermen," he added. 

The RFA has also sent a personal fax to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (*see comments below), respectfully urging his support of A823/S1122 and asking that he signs the bills into law as quickly as possible.  "We've been in constant contact with the Governor's office with regard to these bills, but now it's go time," said Donofrio, adding "saltwater fishermen who are hoping to see this registry legislation passed are certainly encouraged to do their part as well by respectfully contacting the Governor's office in support of the legislation."  

Click here for fax template to send to Governor Chris Christie.

 Dear Governor Christie,

 On behalf of our New Jersey membership, the state saltwater fishing community, and its related industries, we respectfully urge you to sign A823/S1122 into law.  Satisfying the federal mandate to maintain a contact list of saltwater anglers is vitally important as we begin the New Year.  On 11/29/10, the Department of Interior made its preliminary apportionment announcement for FY2011, with an estimated $2.48 million expected for New Jersey from the federal Sport Fish Restoration Fund, 60% of which is specifically to be earmarked for saltwater programs like this registry. 

In the coming year, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and our RFA-NJ chapter representatives pledge to work closely with your administration to identify additional funding sources to support New Jersey's Division of Fish and Wildlife.  We have shared many ideas with the Division over the years pertaining new funding opportunities, but our community has mostly been ignored by the bureaucracy in the past.  The basic mantra towards former DEP Commissioners has always been "we need saltwater anglers to pay a license to fish" which as you know is simply a user fee or tax. 

In this time of economic crisis, we know it's time to get creative - government needs to do a little bit more with less, and the saltwater anglers of New Jersey are ready and willing to do our part to help by talking about new funding ideas to help support our friends at the Division.  We hope that you'll please sign A823/S1122 into law first on behalf of our recreational fishing community!