Outdoors

Fighting for fish

Despite a licensing setback, conservation groups keep plugging away in Tallahassee in order to generate and protect funds for fisheries.

By TERRY TOMALIN
Published March 9, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Ted Forsgren has fought some tough battles in his day. As director of the Florida chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, he led the fight to save the state's redfish stocks and a few years later, fought to ban gill nets from inshore waters.

But when asked what he considers the main achievements of his conservation career, he put the saltwater fishing license at the top of his list.

"We fought long and hard to get that passed," he said. "It has done a lot of good by raising millions for law enforcement, research and fisheries management."

But for 17 years, Forsgren has wondered when state officials would finally find the political will to fill a major loophole in the saltwater licensing law: the land-based angler exemption.

"This is one of the most important issues we have faced in years," Forsgren said. "We need everybody to get out and tell their local representatives how they feel about this important issue. We can't let this one slip through the cracks."

Current legislation, which has been slowly working its way through the House and Senate committees, would impose modest increases in recreational license fees for freshwater and saltwater fishing as well as hunting.

If approved, the legislation would raise the price of a resident saltwater fishing license from $12 to $15 and the combined fresh and saltwater license would increase from $24 to $30.

But the most important issue of any licensing restructuring, sportfishing representatives say, would be removing the so-called "shoreline exemption."

There are currently about 1-million licensed saltwater anglers in Florida. This figure does not include senior citizens and others who are exempt from license requirements, including children, active members of the military and the physically challenged. There are also approximately 300,000 anglers who fish from docks, piers, seawalls, etc. who currently do not need a license.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted extensive research into this issue and found that 76 percent of Floridians support removing the shoreline exemption.

If removed, officials estimate that an additional $641,000 would be generated for fisheries management in the first year. That amount would rise to $1.2-million the second year and $1.9-million the third year.

Officials with the FWC have said that removal of the exemption would create parity among anglers.

Conservation groups, including the CCA, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Snook Foundation and the Florida Guides Association supported the move.

"When a guy fishing from shore catches a snook and keeps it, the fish is just as dead as the snook that is caught by the guy paddling a kayak a few feet away," said Rick Roberts, director of the Snook Foundation. "It doesn't make sense."

Supporters of the shoreline exemption have said that the current law allows for low income and disadvantaged people to fish for food. But conservationists have countered that new regulations would allow those same individuals to obtain a license from the FWC for no cost.

In addition to raising more money within the state, removing the shoreline exemption would also increase the amount of federal dollars Florida receives for fishery management. According to the FWC, every certified paid fishing license helps the state obtain $7 for sportfish restoration.

The CCA sent out a "Legislative Grassroots Alert" this week encouraging its members to urge their state senators to support Senate Bill 1982.

But at a Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation meeting Thursday, the measure lost by a 4-2 vote. Supporters of the CCA position included Republican Dennis Jones of Seminole and Republican Paula Dockery of Lakeland.

Four committee members, including Sen. Charlie Justice, a Democrat who represents parts of both St. Petersburg and Tampa, voted to retain the shoreline exemption.

"I don't know if you will see this issue come again this year," Forsgren said. "It could, but I don't think it is likely."

Late Thursday, Forsgren shifted gears and prepared for a second fight.

"Right now the House is ready to strip all the safeguards that are in place that assure that saltwater license fees are used for fisheries," he said. "They are trying to sneak it in under the wire. That will be a disaster if it goes through."

Forsgren has reason to be alarmed. Florida is called the "Fishing Capital of the World." This state holds more records than any other state and most countries.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the economic impact of recreational fisheries is $7.5-billion (California is No. 2 with $4.9-billion). Florida also has the most resident anglers (3.1-million), the most economic output by non-residents ($1.5-billion) and the highest expenditures for equipment ($2.5-billion).

A reduction in the funding will have devastating consequences for fisheries.

"The recreational fishing community needs to get riled up and let these elected officials know that they are being watched," Forsgren said. "We have done it before and we can do it again."

For information on pending fishery management issues, go to www.ccaflorida.org.

Times Outdoors Editor Terry Tomalin can be reached at tomalin@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8808.

[Last modified March 9, 2007, 01:04:57]