Saltwater fishing License?

[G-Man]

Hey guys from Florida ... what's your take on the SW fishing license?
We're debating it over in the NE forum.
Since you guys have one, maybe you could tell us the value.

Also is there a connection between the banning of inshore commercial nets and the SW fishing license?
Did the license fee help generate support for such conservative efforts?
Thanks
-G

[flyfishsalt]

As a fishing guide in Charlotte County I pay $205 for my lic. to charter, $13 for my fishing lic. if I decide to go when I am not on a charter and $13 for a freshwater fishing lic. if I go up a brakish river past the first bridge or something like that. I also pay $35 a year for an ocupational lic. in my county.

The banning of the gilnets inshore was a direct result of the recreational fishing groups and guide association efforts in the state of florida and especialy the gulf coast region where the mullet fisherman were in strong numbers. I watched the first couple years as many of the mullet fisherman still tried to catch mullet with different techniques and some still used the old gil nets. It was interesting to see. There was a buy out, educational programs, clam grants, most of it meant nothing to the average com. fisherman over the long term. In the short term there was an immediate change. Between the years 1985-1990 I watched as commercial gil netters set there nets in the waters around boca grande where I fish. I would see hundreds of snook, reds, and trout pulled out of the nets and thrown back into the water. One would think that the fishing would be much, much better now that this does not happen. I don't think it is at all. In fact the increased number of people who have moved to southwest florida and the massive amount of recreational anglers have put a much greater impact on the number and size of the fish that we see in the area today. What is most interested is when I was hanging around with this great old timer who I met in my neighborhood Captain Dick Brown, he talked about the way the fishing was here during the years that he was a fishing guide (1960-1985). He said there were many more fish around when he started and told me some great stories that just plain seem impossible to me. In addition he told me that in 1985 he gave up as a fishing guide because there were too many people on the water...

[Capt Chris M]

In Florida, all freshwater anglers need a license but only boat anglers need to get one for the salt. The lack of a license requirement for shorebound saltwater anglers results in the loss of millions of dollars in revenue that could be used for better enforcement and pay for marine law enforcement. Mention tat shore anglers should get a license, and some will act like the will go bankrupt if they have to buy a license that would cost just over $1 a month. The average angler probably spends more money in gas for one trip than a license would cost.

Since the net ban, I have seen a dramatic improvement in the spotted seatrout fishing in the Mosquito Lagoon along Florida's east coast. When I first began fishing the Lagoon in the 80's, I would rarely see a trout over 24" because the netters would get them all. Now there are many more mullet as well as common catches of trout in the 7-10 pound range.

Capt. Chris Myers

[bonefishdick]

Capt.

I was under the impression that in Florida if you fished the Salt that you still needed a fishing license even if you were fishing from shore and not just from a boat. I will be down in Ft Myers in 10 days and was going to get my license on line with a snook permit if I needed one. I'm not opposed to getting a license but I don't want to get in trouble either.

[flyfishsalt]

Here are the rules. I don't know if places like ding darling have special regulations, but I don't think so. I think the only places that require a lic. when fishing from shore are fishing piers. And as for fishing from a boat, most fishing guides in florida have a lic. that covers you on their boat. If they are running a boat and do not have one, then they may not have a valid captain's lic. or insurance either.

Recreational Saltwater Fishing License

You do not need a license if you are:

· Any child under 16 years of age.

· Any resident who is a member of the United States Armed Forces and not stationed in this state, when home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders.

· Any person fishing who has been accepted as a client for developmental disabilities services by the Children and Family Services, provided the department furnishes proof thereof.

· Any resident fishing in saltwater from land or from a structure fixed to the land.

· Any person fishing from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter, party boat) that has a valid vessel license.

· Any person fishing from a vessel, the operator of which has a valid vessel license issued in the name of the operator of the vessel.

· Any person who holds a valid saltwater products license (SPL).

· Any person fishing for recreational purposes from a pier that has been issued a valid pier saltwater fishing license.

· Any resident fishing for a saltwater species in fresh water from land or from a structure fixed to land.

· Any resident fishing for mullet in fresh water who has a valid Florida freshwater fishing license.

· Any resident 65 years of age or older who has in her or his possession proof of age and residency or a no-cost Florida Resident Senior Citizen license. A no-cost license may be obtained from any tax collector's office upon proof of age and residency and must be in the possession of the resident during hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing activities.

· Any employee of the commission who takes freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game as part of employment with the commission, or any other person authorized by commission permit to take freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game for scientific or educational purposes.