LI Senate Republicans Urge the Governor to Reject a Proposal to Tax Our Right to Fish

(Patchogue, NY) – Long Island's New York State Senate Republican Delegation recently sent a letter to Governor Hochul, asking her to join with them in rejecting the NYS Department of Environment Conservation’s (DEC) proposal to implement a Saltwater Fishing License fee.

     Currently, NYS anglers, 16 years old and up, sign up for the no-fee marine recreational fishing registry, which serves as the “license” for saltwater fishing. The DEC recently sent out a survey to get feedback on a proposal to charge a fee to those who wish to fish in the state's salt waters.  This is not the first time this fee idea has reared its ugly head.

     In 2009, the state enacted a saltwater fishing license fee on the New York State saltwater fishing community. Two years later, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle listened to the citizens and together reversed and eliminated what was seen as an obvious money grab. When this fee was imposed in 2009, the state was facing a huge financial deficit, and raising fees was a way to increase revenue. It looks like this new proposal is just taking a page from that same old playbook as the State is once again, facing a multibillion-dollar deficit.

     NY State Senator Dean Murray, whose Senate district runs all across the south shore of Brookhaven Town, in Suffolk County, says, "Long Islanders, like all New York residents, are feeling the crunch when it comes to inflation and simply can't afford another money grab by the State. We urge the Governor to join us in listening to our constituents when they say "NO" to another money grab and "NO" to a tax on saltwater fishing."