NOAA’s Fisheries Service released its final rule to create a national saltwater angler registry of all marine recreational fishermen in order to protect shared marine resources in a better way. A requirement to establish a registry was included in a statute approved by Congress in 2007. Jim Balsiger, NOAA acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service, informed that this registry will help demonstrate the important contributions of recreational anglers to both local economies and to the nation’s.
It is also told that the registry will help the authority to gather comprehensive data to ensure sustainable fisheries built on the best available science. Experts believe that this kind of information is essential to NOAA’s goal to end overfishing as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. All recreational anglers who fish in federal waters will be required to participate, with some exemptions for those already registered in their states.
The registry will start from January 2009 in which NOAA will exempt anglers from the federal registration rule if they are licensed in states that have a system to provide complete information on their saltwater anglers to the national registry. According to Balsiger NOAA wants to work closely with the states and anglers to better capture the contributions and effects of sportfishing.
It is told that the saltwater anglers will be able to register online or by calling a toll-free telephone number that will be publicized, and will receive a registration certificate. NOAA received nearly 500 comments from anglers, state officials, and fishing and environmental organizations on its proposed national registry rule during the comment period from June 12 until Aug. 21.
